21 Tokka Moments
by majesticwolf27
Summary: A set of unrelated Tokka stories. Not all will end up with them together, and not all will be happy. Each of the 21 prompts was pulled from a single word randomly chosen from a book. T for safety. Possible cussing, violence. Loads of fluff. R&R please!
1. Chapter 1: Nightmares

**21 Tokka Moments:**

**A Series of Unrelated One-shots**

**

* * *

**

Forward: Okay, the stories probably won't be in order but they will have their respective numbers. I was flipping through Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane, and I wrote down twenty one words randomly as prompts for these one-shots. They won't all have happy endings, but they will be centered on the joy that is Tokka.

**Onward!**

**Disclaimer: I own neither Shutter Island nor Avatar: The Last Airbender. **

**

* * *

**

Number 3: Nightmares

Toph Bei Fong 'watched' her best friend with a heavy heart. Sokka had gone through so much in the past year and it amazed Toph that he was able to retain his happiness.

Although if Toph was completely honest with herself, she would admit that she knew he was haunted. It was the reason she asked him to come live with her in the bustling city of Omashu; no one else could alleviate his pain.

Sokka came willingly enough, and had lived with her for the past eight months. Though a portion of her days were spent being an ambassador for peace negotiations, the remainder was spent with Sokka. And though the twenty four year old joked with her, Toph knew part of his soul had been shattered. But she still loved him.

* * *

Sokka splashed cold water on his face from the basin in Toph's kitchen. He made a mental note to run to the stream to get some fresh water for dinner so Toph wouldn't have to.

Sokka attributed his recovery to the young woman and was constantly trying to repay her.

For instance winter was descending rapidly upon the Earth Kingdom and Toph was complaining that she would have to wear a coat and shoes. Sokka had sent Hawky to Bato, asking him to send the finest Water Tribe coat money could buy, and a pair of seal-skin boots with whale blubber soles-in hopes that Toph could retain some of her vision and independence.

Sokka dried his face and jumped as a hand touched his shoulder. He spun around and stared into Toph's milky eyes.

"Spirits you scared me Toph!" he exclaimed. Toph's eyes were sad as she kept her hand on his shoulder.

"Sokka…you had another nightmare, didn't you?" she asked, her hand drifting to the bags under his eyes.

Sokka shook his head. "No," he replied, unable to burden his savior with the demons that plagued him.

Toph sighed and removed her hand, unwilling to press the matter further. Toph turned to the stove and Sokka studied her.

At twenty, Toph had grown into quite the beauty. She wore her hair down to her bellybutton, the top half pulled into a tortoise shell, her bangs drooping into her eyes. Right now she wore a pale yellow sleeveless shirt, and a dark green silk skirt. Her feet were naked as usual.

But most importantly to Sokka, Toph's upper arm was adorned with the space rock bracelet he'd given her long ago.

Sokka walked over to Toph and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her from behind. Toph leaned into his embrace and he inhaled the sweet scent of her hair.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Please don't worry about me, I'll be fine." He promised.

* * *

And yet, at two in the morning, Toph found herself rushing into Sokka's bedroom.

He was tangled in his wolf pelts, face-down and screaming into his pillow. Toph couldn't see this, but ran to his side, and gathered him into her arms.

"Sokka, shh, it's just a dream. I'm here Sokka." She murmured, stroking his tousled hair. Sokka's screams died down and he clung to her as though his life depended on it.

"So much blood." He whimpered, trembling in Toph's embrace. Toph's eyes filled with tears as she clutched Sokka tighter against her chest.

"Sokka," she whispered. "What did you see? Was it Suki?" she asked, remembering the brutal slaying of the Kyoshi warrior; it was after all the source of Sokka's torment.

Sokka stared into Toph's worried eyes and his tears began to fall.

"No," he confessed. "It was the same dream, the blood…the screaming…but…it wasn't Suki." He continued his voice shaky. Toph rubbed his back and hated herself for pushing him, but she needed to know.

"Who was it?" she asked. All she knew was that Suki had murdered in the bed she and Sokka shared. Toph wondered who could possibly have imagined in that bed other than his late wife.

Sokka cupped her face with both hands. "It was so vivid…and it was you." he cried, horrified at the sick workings of his mind. How could he imagine such a beautiful woman defiled by blood, her existence marred by the markings of a sword? "I thought that you were…" he trailed off, sobbing hard.

Toph felt her heart race. "Sokka, I'm alright." She assured him. She reached up to wipe away his tears and he grabbed her hand. As Sokka stared into her sightless eyes, something changed, and he was certain that they both felt it.

"Stay with me?" he pleaded. Toph nodded quickly, worried that the moment would pass and he would change his mind, and slipped into the pelts beside him.

Sokka wrapped his arms around her, reveling in her warmth and noticing how perfectly Toph fit beside him. He kissed the back of her head and smiled.

"Thank you Toph." He said.

"You're lucky I love you Snoozles, your toes are cold," she blurted out before clamping a hand over her mouth. If Sokka told her to leave she would blame the outburst on sleep deprivation. Nearly twenty minutes later, Sokka spoke.

"I love you too," he assured her, kissing her pale cheek softly.

* * *

Katara stared at Toph for the first time in nearly a year-since she had dropped her brother off in Omashu-and smiled.

"So how is Sokka doing?" she asked. Toph smiled conspicuously and shrugged.

"He's a lot better now. No more nightmares. He talks about Suki without breaking down. He's even dating again." Toph grinned. Katara arched an eyebrow.

"Okay, what's your deal?" she questioned. Toph laughed and moved Katara's hand to the small but undeniable bump in her lower abdomen.

"Just a family in the works." Toph said with a small smirk.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you all for reading and please review. Like I said before, this is a set of 21 Unrelated oneshots. Keep an eye out for the others. This one ended on a happy note-although I have noticed that I tend to make people have babies a lot in my stories. I guess it's a mom thing. But, what else can they do really? Anywho. Thanks. ~Kirsten**


	2. Chapter 2: Flirting

**Number 17: Flirted**

**I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

Sokka stared at Toph and felt his blood boil. He could swear that red was ebbing at the corners of his vision.

Toph was standing in a corner at during Zuko's twenty third birthday party flirting with a stranger. The guy was an obvious tool, but Toph seemed oblivious, giggling at every other word out of his mouth.

Sokka knew he shouldn't be upset; Toph was eighteen-almost nineteen-and he was with Suki. Sort of with Suki, he amended mentally.

Suki had gone back to Kyoshi Island a couple years ago, and he had his suspicions that she had met someone else.

Sokka chewed on his lower lip and groaned. The man was putting his hand on Toph's shoulder, and it was really pissing him off.

Aang tapped on Sokka's shoulder and smiled brightly.

"Hey Sokka, why aren't you dancing?" he asked. Sokka shrugged; there was no way he was letting those two out of his sight. Who knew what was on that guy's mind?

Sokka could take a pretty good guess; Toph was wearing a pale green kimono that revealed a little too much of the cleavage she had developed.

"Aang, do you know who that guy with Toph is?" he asked. Aang shifted his gaze and nodded excitedly.

"Oh sure, that's Lon. He's Zuko's head of security. He's a very promising soldier." Aang bragged. Sokka sent him a death-glare and sighed.

"Great," he muttered. This guy was a tool that could fight. If he tried something, would Toph stand a chance?

Sokka shook his head. Of course she would, because Sokka would be there to protect her. Sokka smiled and stared at Toph appreciatively.

No one was going to mess with his best friend.

Sokka frowned. He couldn't pinpoint it, but somehow, he knew that there was more to their relationship than friendship. Toph was like…she was like his other half. They could finish each other's sentences. They could open up about their accomplishments and mistakes. They were on a level that he and Suki hadn't achieved.

Aang turned away from Sokka, realizing that he was not going to get a rewarding conversation from the warrior, and walked over to Katara.

Sokka rolled his eyes as the man, Lon, touched her elbow and made to take her somewhere. Sokka sprung into action, moving to Toph with such speed that she barely had time to see him coming.

"Sokka?" she said, her voice sounding surprised. Sokka smiled brightly at Lon.

"Could you excuse us for a moment? Avatar Aang asked me to talk to Toph about an upcoming mission." He lied. Lon smiled, though it seemed forced and said goodnight to Toph.

Toph followed Sokka into the courtyard of the palace, and stared at him with an annoyed look on her face.

"Sokka, what in spirits name did you drag me out here for? And don't tell me that it has to do with Aang, because I know you're lying." She warned. Sokka glanced down at her slippers and realized that she probably popped the soles out of them.

"Fine," he said. "You caught me." Toph arched an eyebrow.

"Okay, so why did you drag me out here?" she asked again. Sokka sighed and kicked at the grass.

"Well…I…" Sokka so did not want to have this conversation. "Want you to go for a walk with me." He decided, seeing Yue out. Sokka mentally corrected himself; the moon, not Yue.

Toph shifted and shrugged. "Alright, I guess." She said with a sigh. Ever since Suki had left, Toph had gotten the feeling that their friendship was coming to a close.

The two set off, heading towards the large garden that Zuko had. As they walked, Sokka attempted to sort out his feelings.

Toph was, as he had already decided, definitely more that a friend to him, but was he willing to take that risk of losing their friendship in the small chance that they could make it as a couple.

Toph was a free spirit, would she even be willing to tie herself down to him? Sokka had his doubts.

So many thoughts swirled around his head, and Sokka dropped onto the first bench they came across.

"Sokka?" Toph questioned, sitting down beside him. "Are you alright? You're kind of quiet." She stated, fearing that this would be the moment that he told her they couldn't be friends. Sokka sighed and undid his Warrior's Wolf Tail. He ran a hand through his hair as he stalled.

"No," he finally admit. "I was worried about you." Sokka said, his eyes darting to Toph.

Toph tamped down her confusion and turned towards him. "What do you mean?" she asked. Sokka sighed again and kicked at the stone beneath him.

"I just…that guy was all over you and I wanted to make sure that you were okay with it." He stated lamely. Toph's vacant eyes rested on him for several seconds before she spoke.

"Sokka, I'm a big girl." She said finally. "I can handle myself." Sokka raised both hands, palms facing her.

"I know you are. I just…I don't want to see you get hurt." He replied. Toph cast her eyes downward.

"Like you did?" she whispered. Sokka jolted; she was turning this around on him?

"Yeah," he confessed. "Like I did." Sokka turned away from her and stared up at the moon. Twice, twice he had made the mistake of falling for someone. And now…well, Sokka hadn't really fallen for Toph per-say. He had grown into her, grown with her.

"I was worried about you too." Toph said softly. Sokka looked back at her, and her face was contorted into thought, her eyebrows furrowed together. "I wanted to slap Suki when she didn't come for your birthday." She admit. Sokka tilted his head to the side slightly, and sighed.

"Yeah, that was pretty low." He agreed. Toph smiled and punched his shoulder, in the place where a bruise was ever-present.

"Hey, at least I was there." She said with a smile. Sokka stared at Toph and his reality came tumbling in on him.

Toph _was _there. She always had been; at his promotion as the Southern Water Tribe ambassador; at his birthday; at Gran's funeral. Toph was always there, and even when he didn't need her, she was always making some sort of excuse to accompany him on his travels-someone to harass in that particular region- or to stay with him in whatever region he was settled in for a pertinent amount of time-who else would she harass, was the excuse for those. Sokka felt his eyes fill with tears. Toph had always been there for him, and the fact of the matter was that whether he wanted to or not, their relationship was changing.

He had just undermined her chance with a promising man.

"Sokka?" she prompted, concerned at his silence. Sokka glanced at Toph and smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks Toph." He said, breathing in her earthen scent. Toph tilted her head up towards him and arched an eyebrow.

"Um…your welcome?" she asked. Sokka laughed and released her.

"For being there," he clarified. Toph snorted.

"Don't get all mushy on me Snoozles. I'm your best friend, that's what I'm supposed to do." She stated, Sokka's heart dropping with her words.

"Toph," he began, summoning any courage he had on reserves. "Is that all I am to you?" he asked. Toph scooted away from him; oh spirits, Sokka knew.

Their time together flashed through her mind, and Toph worried that he was going to tell her that they shouldn't be together if that wasn't how she saw him.

Sokka noticed her grave look and smiled.

"Toph, I'm not mad. I just want to know." He stated. Toph sighed and rolled her eyes; he asked for it.

"Have you ever worked really hard on a painting and felt like it was missing something? Like…it just wasn't complete?" she asked. It was Sokka's turn to be confused.

"Um, yeah, I guess. Like this one time, I was painting Katara and I felt like the painting had to have Aang." Toph raised a hand and cut him off.

"You're what's missing in my painting." She stated. Sokka stared at her for a moment before he realized the meaning in her words.

"Are you saying that you love me?" he challenged. Toph sighed and nodded.

"I guess so." She acknowledged with defeat. Sokka smiled and pulled her into his arms.

"I love you too Toph." He said. Toph pulled away enough to tilt her head up to him.

"You do know that I mean romantically, right? Not like family." She clarified. Sokka laughed, the sound lifting Toph's spirit.

"Of course, I love you that way too." He stated. Toph smiled and their lips met in a short, sweet kiss. When they pulled apart, Sokka smiled down at the woman he had been waiting his whole life for.

"And to think this all happened because of some harmless flirting." She said with a laugh. Sokka smiled at Toph and captured her lips again.

"I would say that you should do it more often, but don't, unless you want to flirt with me, because that, that I don't mind."

**

* * *

**

A/N: Okay, so this one wasn't as long as the first-at least I don't think it was. But, please review. Thank you for reading and special thanks for those of you who are

** reviewing! More soon! ~Kirsten**


	3. Chapter 3: Discovered

**Number Six: Discovered**

**I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender**

It was a miracle that Sokka even found her.

None of the group had seen Toph in over four years. Katara had received a letter from her mother a few years back, but that was just to let them know that they had received word that she was alive and well.

Sokka and Suki had set out on a quest to find Toph, but in the end, it was just Sokka, searching without a clue.

Sokka and Suki parted on good terms; how could he blame her when he had basically devoted every waking moment to finding Toph?

So when Sokka was taking a forced vacation on Ember Island, who would have guessed that he would find her there? He certainly hadn't.

Sokka had been on the beach, walking for the sake of movement, and planning his next move. He was planning on returning to Gao Ling. There had been talk of a new Earth Rumble, and he hoped to find her there.

That was when he noticed the elaborate sand-city on the edge of the tides. Sokka had stared at it in amazement. At first, he had asked around the crowd to see if the artist was around, but no one knew anything. Then, he realized that it was hauntingly familiar.

It reminded him of the Ba Sing Se Sand City that Toph had created before the fall of Ozai.

Sokka had camped out by the sand-city that night, hoping that it was Toph who was the artist and that she would return.

But she didn't.

Two days after finding the castle, Sokka took the lonely trip into town and decided he would question the citizens. Surely a blind woman wouldn't be hard to miss.

After hours of questioning vendors and store owners, Sokka came up with the same thing as always; nothing.

Sokka went back to Zuko's summer home with a heavy heart. He must have been overanalyzing the situation.

* * *

Toph had been coming back to the beach to add a few seashells to her city when she spotted him.

Sokka, the bane of her existence.

She fled the beach and returned to Ozai's old palace, where she had been staying.

Toph had been running from Sokka for a long time, but seeing him again made it apparent that she couldn't run from her feelings for him. Sokka was ingrained in her being, and that was undeniable.

But the fact of the matter was that Sokka didn't love her the way she loved him, and she wasn't strong enough to bear the daily heartache.

So she left. And she was damn good at covering her tracks.

Maybe she was being selfish, maybe she was being stupid, but Toph knew that she was protecting herself, and in this life, she was all that she had.

Toph bit her lip and forced away the view she had got of Sokka, which, since he had been lying down, was pretty clear.

Sokka's hair had grown out, and was as long as his father's. From the feel of his shirtless chest, he had muscled out very nicely.

Toph bit down her adoration and sighed.

This was not supposed to happen. She was stronger than this. She had to be. If she wasn't, he would hurt her. He would break her heart and break her down.

And Toph could not handle being broken.

* * *

Sokka walked through town, through all of the rundown buildings that crumbled around Ozai's old place, and a pang of nostalgia rushed through Sokka.

That was how he decided to go into the house where they had once hid from the ex-Phoenix King.

Sokka pushed open the heavy door and inhaled deeply. It smelled as though someone was there.

Sokka tensed and put a hand on the dagger at his hip. Sokka listened to the silence for several minutes before moving forward.

He rounded a corner and was shocked to see that someone was indeed living in the old house. A bedroll lay in the middle of the living room, and a small fire-pit had been formed. There were various items strewn throughout the room, but it was evident that whoever was living there had heard him and left in a hurry. In fact, they had left behind a bracelet…a space-rock bracelet.

* * *

Toph struggled to catch her breath, concealed by two dunes, and fought the surmounting terror.

Why did it have to be him? What was he even doing on Ember Island? Toph knew she hadn't left a single inkling of a trace that could have been used to track her there.

And yet, there he was, back in the house they had been in as children.

But Toph wasn't a child anymore, and she would be damned before she was going to play this stupid game of chase anymore.

Toph stamped her foot and sent a clear image through her head. Sokka had returned to the beach, and he was heading her way.

"Alright Toph, I know its you." he hollered, his figure rising up in the distance over the dunes. Toph braced herself and stepped into her basic defensive stance.

"And what are you going do about it oh fierce warrior." She sneered. Sokka stared at Toph in confusion.

What was her problem?

"Do you know how long I've been looking for you?" he asked. Toph arched an eyebrow as he stepped closer to her.

"Do I look like I care?" she spat, her anger masking her pain. What difference did it make if all he was going to do was hurt her some more? Toph shook her head, he wasn't going to hurt her because she was stronger than that now.

"Toph, what is your deal? You take off in the middle of the night and no one hears from you. I've looked for you for so long Toph, and this is how you repay me?" he demanded. Toph let out a bitter laugh.

"No one asked you to come looking for me." She stated, pointing out the obvious.

Sokka stared at Toph in confusion. "Toph, I have gone everywhere in the past four years trying to find you!" he exclaimed. Toph sighed and dropped out of her stance.

"Sokka, again, no one told you to come look for me. You might as well just call your search off and let it go, because I am not coming back." Conviction coated Toph's words. Sokka stared blankly at the younger woman.

Toph's beauty-which was quite evident-was marred by the look of disgust on her face.

Sokka sighed. "Toph, what was so bad about staying with us? If you wanted to leave, why didn't you just tell us, or keep in touch? Do you have any idea how worried we were?" he asked. Toph took a step backwards, determined to block out his words.

"I don't care Sokka. I wasn't happy with you and I'm not going back to that." Toph paused as she realized her slip. "I wasn't happy with you guys." She amended.

But it was too late, Sokka had caught on. For years Katara had teased him about a supposed crush that Toph harbored, but he had never believed his sister. But now, now he wasn't so sure.

"Toph, what did I do wrong?" he asked, taking a step closer to her. Toph threw up a wall as she scrambled away from him.

"Leave me alone Sokka! I hate you!" she screamed. Sokka glanced around, noticing a few beach patrons staring at them, and decided that it would be best to retreat for now. Sokka turned away from Toph and headed back towards his home.

* * *

Toph sat in silence as Sokka walked away from her. Vacantly, she wondered what she had done. Sokka had been searching for her, and that had to mean something, right?

Toph sighed and walked back into town, determined to catch the next ship off of Ember Island. Toph halfway expected to run into Sokka, but she didn't expect to run into a very large belly.

"Toph?" the stomach exclaimed. Toph angled her head up and tapped her foot, realizing that the voice and scent was familiar.

"Katara." She whispered. Katara stared down at the younger woman and touched a hand to Toph's face, wiping away her tears.

Toph hadn't realized that she was crying.

"Toph, what are you doing here?" she asked. Katara rubbed her enlarged stomach with one hand and touched Toph's bare shoulder with the other.

Toph was clad in the traditional red Firenation garb. No wonder Sokka hadn't found her-all of his posters depicted a rowdy child in green clothing. Toph was definitely not a child anymore.

"I was visiting." She replied weakly. First Sokka, now Katara. Toph could handle cutting Meathead down, but not Sugarqueen, especially not in her current state. "So, twins?" she asked. Katara's eyes widened.

"I'm having twins?" she asked. Toph blushed and mentally kicked herself; of course Katara wouldn't be aware of the three distinct heartbeats. Katara shook her head. "Have you seen Sokka?" she asked, getting back to the matter at hand. Her brother would be thrilled to see that his journey had finally drawn to a close.

"Yeah, we fought." Toph confessed. Katara arched an eyebrow.

"Look, why don't we sit down and talk. My back is killing me." She suggested. Toph reluctantly nodded.

"Sure."

* * *

Katara watched Toph chew on the piece of meat, and sighed.

"You know, he and Suki broke up." She confided, hoping to get a glimpse of the love Toph once felt for Sokka. Toph shifted and continued to chew.

"Why?" she asked after a beat too long. Katara smiled at Toph, excited that she had piqued her interest.

"You see, four years ago Sokka set out on a mission, and Suki went with him. After a year, she got kind of fed up. She told him that she wanted to settle down. After two years, she returned to Kyoshi Island. She met someone else and word from the hawks is that she is also pregnant. Definitely not Sokka's." Katara added hastily. Toph sighed and pushed the meat on her plate around, accidentally knocking a few pieces over the edge.

"What was so important that he was able to give Suki up?" Toph asked, not really caring. Katara smiled brightly at Toph.

"You are." She stated.

* * *

Sokka slung his bag over his shoulder, determined to get off of Ember Island as quickly as possible. Whatever he had done to anger Toph was still raw, and he realized that he would need to give her enough space to sort out her feelings. In the end, if she wanted to remain his friend, she would come back to him.

So, with a tad more reluctance than necessary, Sokka began the walk back into town. He would let Katara and Aang know that he was leaving, and then, he would board the first ship back to Ba Sing Se, where he would take a ship back to the Southern Water Tribe.

He spotted Katara sitting on a bench in front of the depot, and stopped walking. Katara was shaking her head, her eyes focusing on him.

"You're just going to leave?" she asked as he drew near. Sokka nodded swiftly.

"Yeah, I'm just going to leave. If she changes her mind, she'll come find me." He said, assuring himself more than his sister. Katara laughed.

"Sokka, do you even know what is going through her mind right now? She left because she loved you and she could stand you being with Suki. Sokka, she loves you still, and she's just afraid of getting hurt. You need to figure out your feelings and figure them out quick, or you're going to lose her." Katara stated. Sokka stared at Katara for a moment before sitting down beside her.

"Maybe I love her…but maybe I'm just afraid to be without her." He stated. Katara smiled knowingly at her brother.

"If you are afraid to be without her, then you know that you're meant to be with her." She said with a small smile. Sokka shook his head.

"But how do I know if I love her as a sister or as something more?" he asked. Katara resisted the urge to smack her forehead. She was trying to be patient, but for spirits sake, was her brother really that dense.

"Well, have you ever wanted to kiss her?" she asked. Sokka nearly dropped the bracelet he had been holding since earlier that day.

"Um…I…well…maybe…yeah?" he spluttered. Katara laughed.

"Well, you certainly haven't wanted to kiss me so I guess you know the answer to that one." Katara said with a fleeting laugh. "You better hurry, she's probably trying to get off this island." She added, motioning to the ship depot behind her.

Sokka turned and ran. He had discovered Toph for a reason, and he would be damned before he would let her get away this time.

**

* * *

**A/N: I'm not sure how well this one turned out. Feedback would tell me, but please be gentle. I like constructive criticism, as long as you have some solid suggestions, but no flames please. In my opinion, if you don't like it, you don't need to cut me down. That being said, thank you all for reading and please review. Thank you to all of you who have previously reviewed. The next one is number twelve, and it is going to be somewhat angsty. A preview is below.

* * *

**Number Twelve: Evaporated**

**Everything he was, everything he ever had been, and everything he could have been evaporated into her milky eyes.**

**Now, he was nothing. He was empty. He was broken. He was a shell of his former self, and nothing would ever change that.**

**The first time he had let go of her hand, Suki had been there to save her. The second time he let go of her hand, it ended her life.**

****Okay! That's it. No more, you just have to keep going to find out more. By the way, I need your opinions. I had thought about doing a modern day story for number eleven-can't reveal the prompt yet-and wanted to know if my readers thought that they were overrated. Please let me know. Thanks again for reading. ~Kirsten****


	4. Chapter 4: Evaporated

**Number Twelve: Evaporated**

Everything he was, everything he ever had been, and everything he could have been evaporated into her milky eyes.

Now, he was nothing. He was empty. He was broken. He was a shell of his former self, and nothing would ever change that.

The first time he had let go of her hand, Suki had been there to save her. The second time he let go of her hand, it ended her life.

Sokka had never forgiven himself, and it tore away at his soul. It clawed his mind and tormented every second he spent alive. It made him sick.

* * *

Katara had never seen her brother so depressed. His waking moments were spent in silence and a self-imposed solitude. His nights were spent screaming while he relived Toph's death over and over again in his mind. At first, she and Aang had tried to comfort him, but over time, they learned that her death was something that Sokka would have to heal from on his own terms.

It had been a hard few years, and Katara was beginning to wonder if her brother would ever live again. She was beyond concerned, and no one seemed to be able to get through to the warrior.

While Katara and Aang had taken Sokka in, Suki had left to go back to Kyoshi, the emotional strain too much for her. Hakoda and Bato had journeyed to the Ba Sing Se, where they were all housed-minus Zuko and Mai who were ruling in the Firenation's capital-and tried to help Sokka in any way that they could.

But in the end, nothing could quell the heart wrenching pain that consumed him.

* * *

Tonight was Aang's turn. He sat at Sokka's bedside, watching the older man twitch occasionally and toss around his bed. Aang rubbed his tired eyes and decided it was probably safe to lie down in the cot on the other side of the room.

_The five teens walked along the Cliffside where the fall of Ozai had taken place. Each of them was armed with a dagger as there was talk of rebels gathering at the battle site to plan an attack on Zuko's palace._

_Sokka walked between Suki and Toph, chattering excitedly about going to see his father's plans to rebuild the Southern Water Tribe. Suki was only partially listening, and Toph was nodding enthusiastically. Occasionally she would submit her own suggestions. _

_As they neared the grounds, all talking ceased and they realized that there was in fact a large group of rebels gathered._

The image goes fuzzy, a distant memory in Sokka's mind. Sokka begins to shake, his chest heaving with the force of his labored breathing. His mind races and wraps around that same crucial scene that he cannot banish from his being.

_Toph dangles over the edge of the canyon, her vision stripped from her. She hangs on with one hand and tries to summon a ledge with the other. As her grip slips she gives up on summoning a ledge and hangs on with both hands._

"_Sokka!" she screams. _His name sends shivers down his spine, and tears streak his tortured face.

_Sokka runs to her, and grabs both hands with his. He looks around, trying to see who else he can summon for help, but the other three were having a hard enough time defending themselves. They were unprepared for this battle. Sokka looks down at the fear in Toph's eyes and remembers the time that he had lost her before. He summons all of her strength and pulls her upwards._

"_It's alright Toph, I've got you!" He assures her._

Sokka jerks in his sleep, twisting himself further into his pelts. Aang stirs, hearing one of the pelts drop to the floor, and looks around groggily. He knows that the time has come to wake his brother.

_Just as Sokka has Toph up to the ledge and releases one of her hands to allow her to get a hold on the ledge, he feels a mind-numbing pain sear through his chest; he had been stabbed from behind. His hand opens involuntarily and her eyes widen as she falls into the abyss. Sokka screams and everything goes black._

Sokka jolts as Aang shakes him, tears in his own grey eyes, and begs him to wake up. He realizes distantly that he is screaming.

"Sokka please, it's over now. Please, it's all over." He cries, trying to soothe the young man. Katara enters the room, her hair wild, her face ashen.

"Sokka, oh spirits. Sokka, please, it's okay." She said, wrapping her arms around him. Sokka's scream died in his throat and he stared at Katara bitterly.

"It's not okay. I let her down, I betrayed her…I killed her." He spat, his eyes filled with tears that could not fall. Katara tamped down the pain filling her heart and sighed.

"Sokka, please." She pleaded. They had been through this so many times, and she couldn't bear to hear him blame himself. Sokka stared at his hands, his repulsive, disgusting, pathetic hands.

"Every time I close my eyes I see hers. I see her staring at me with hurt and fear. I let her down, I failed her, and she's dead." Conviction was ever present in his words, and Katara couldn't even argue with him. He was so convinced that he had caused Toph's death, and no one could change his mind. Katara moved her hand to the scar over Sokka's heart, his bare chest cold, and sighed.

"Sokka, I can't do this anymore." She said. Aang glanced at her, but she held up a hand. "You need to accept the truth behind what happened." She stated flatly. Aang stared at her, mouth agape, and shook his head vehemently. They had been down that road before and he figured that it would do no good to go down it again.

Sokka closed his eyes and shook his head as well. He could not accept the lies that Katara told him. He knew the truth. Toph's eyes bore the weight of his guilt.

Her eyes, the thing that Sokka had loved the most about Toph, were now the very thing that haunted him.

Katara took Sokka's hand in her own.

"Do you remember what happened?" she asked him. Sokka nodded.

"How could I forget?" he demanded. Katara sighed.

"Do you remember how you got hurt?" she asked. Sokka raised an eyebrow, again, how could he forget?

"Yeah, someone stabbed me from behind and I…I dropped Toph." He said, his heart breaking.

Katara closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No Sokka. You weren't stabbed from behind. There is nothing on your back." She stated calmly. Aang closed his eyes as Sokka shook his head.

"That's not true." Sokka stuttered. He ran a hand over his back and tried to find where the sword had entered his back.

"Sokka, you and I were fighting a group of men, and it was Suki on the ledge with Toph." She said, her eyes filling with tears. "You couldn't have saved her." She said, her eyes pleading with him to believe her. But Sokka couldn't. Suki had not been on the ledge. Sokka had been on that ledge and he had let Toph fall, he had failed her.

Sokka closed his eyes and bit down on his lip.

"It doesn't matter. None of that matters now. Toph is gone and that's all there is to it." He stated flatly. Toph had died on that ledge, and so had Sokka. Without Toph, he was nothing.

He had loved Toph with every part of his being, and she never even knew it. The warrior opened his eyes and stared into Katara's with shocking lucidity.

"Sokka?" Katara questioned, wondering what he had to say. Sokka took a deep breath and closed his eyes again, a few tears escaping.

"I miss Toph, and I don't want to live in a world where she doesn't exist." He said, his memories evaporating into his reality, and his guilt evaporating into remorse.

He hadn't let her die, but he hadn't let her know how much he loved her, and in his eyes, that made him just as responsible. Katara stared at her brother as sadness overwhelmed her.

"Sokka, please don't say that." She begged. Aang clutched Katara's hand in his own and put a hand on Sokka's shoulder.

"We need you Sokka. You are our family." He pleaded. Sokka lay back in his bed and stared at the ceiling.

"I just want to sleep." He said, his eyes drooping shut. Katara stared at him, and watched him drift out of consciousness.

"_I want to see her body!" he pleaded, hoping that this was all some sick joke. Katara shook her head, tears sliding down her paler-than-normal cheeks._

"_No Sokka. It's bad." She stated. Sokka closed his eyes, defeat setting in. "You need to rest." She informed. Sokka shook his head._

"_Was she in pain?" he asked, needing to know. Katara shook her head slowly._

"_No, her heart gave out before she…before she hit the ground." Katara said as gently as possible. Sokka nodded and closed his eyes._

_It was the first time he remembered what he had done to her._

* * *

Katara and Aang checked on Sokka the following morning, and were surprised to see him awake and sitting up.

"I dreamed of her." He said, his voice clear and strong. Katara and Aang exchanged a glance.

"Sokka," Katara began, but Sokka held up a hand.

"She told me that she wasn't angry, that she didn't blame me. She told me that she was doing fine, and that she had always known how I felt." Sokka smiled and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I think I'll be okay." He said sadly. Katara smiled as tears of joy filled her eyes. She and Aang wrapped their arms around Sokka and held him for a long time.

* * *

Years later, when Sokka's heart gave out from the wound he had sustained nearly ten years prior, they buried him next to Toph on the outskirts of Ba Sing Se.

Katara and Aang were sad, but they felt better knowing that his soul was finally at rest. Though he had recovered partially, the spark never came back in his eyes, and he was never really able to talk about Toph without breaking down.

Though no one would ever know if it had been some citizens of the Earth Kingdom, or a group of badger-moles, the tomb that Sokka and Toph were buried in was encased in its own lover's cave one night and they were finally together for time eternally.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Thank you all for reading and please review. I know that this was pretty sad, but I tried to make it clear that Toph harbored no ill will towards Sokka. In the end, they were together, so despite the character death, hopefully that was a happy ending? Hopefully? Anyway, more soon, thanks again to my reviewers! ~Kirsten

**Coming Soon: **

**Number Fifteen: Fan**

**A breeze was coming in from off of the ocean, and it rustled the curtain covering Toph's open window. The salty scent reached her nose, and she shivered, despite the sunlight. The sea always reminded her of Sokka, and that was why she had chosen to make her home near it.**

**Sokka, spirits, she hadn't seen him since she was thirteen. What was she now, nineteen, so that was…six years?**

**Toph sighed. Oh she missed that man with a passion.**

**Damn Suki and her stupid fan.**


	5. Chapter 5: Fans

**Number Fifteen: Fan**

A breeze was coming in from off of the ocean, and it rustled the curtain covering Toph's open window. The salty scent reached her nose, and she shivered, despite the sunlight. The sea always reminded her of Sokka, and that was why she had chosen to make her home near it.

Sokka, spirits, she hadn't seen him since she was thirteen. What was she now, nineteen, so that was…six years?

Toph sighed. Oh she missed that man with a passion.

Damn Suki and her stupid fan.

The whole incident had been an accident.

After the fall of Ozai, Toph had moved in with Sokka and Suki in their home on Kyoshi Island.

At first things were fine. The girls built a tentative friendship, and Sokka and Toph stayed as close as they ever had been. But everything changed when Toph stole Suki's fans.

Toph just wanted to see if she could find the lethalness that Suki boasted about. So she borrowed them one quiet night.

And so it began. Toph started practicing at night-after the warriors had gone to bed-and it was alright for a couple weeks. Then one of the fans succumbed to Toph's strength.

So Toph came clean with Suki and offered to replace them. She had no clue that Suki would turn on her like a rabid wolf.

_Suki stared at Toph, hatred glistening in her eyes even though Toph couldn't see them._

"_You spoiled brat!" Suki screamed. "This is the one thing that Sokka and I do together without you butting in. I am so sick of you and your stupid crush! I want you out of my house and off of my island!" she yelled. Toph stood there, dumbfounded. Sokka chose that moment to walk in._

"_What's with all the yelling?" he asked. Suki rounded on him._

"_Tell this little mud-slug to get out of here. I don't want her here anymore." Sokka stared at the two girls, Toph's pale face flushing with anger._

"_Look, I don't know what's going on, but you two need to work it out." He stated calmly. Toph opened her mouth to apologize again, but Suki cut her off._

"_Damn it Sokka! Don't take her side. It's her or me!" Suki yelled. Sokka stared at Suki blankly. What could have caused this? He glanced at Toph and opened his mouth, but Toph put a hand up._

"_It's fine," she said quietly. "I'll go." Toph turned around, her heart breaking. She packed her bags and left within a matter of minutes._

Toph shifted in her seat and sighed. She would be lying if she said that she had been happy without him. She had grown used to her solitude, and wrote back and forth with Katara. Well, a scribe wrote for her, but as long as Katara didn't bring up Sokka, then Toph would continue to write her friends.

Her friends…Toph sighed again and stood up, turning her back on the comfort of the sea. Toph harbored no ill will towards Sokka. She couldn't make him choose between them, so she left.

And again, Toph would be lying if she said that it didn't hurt that he never tried to mend the bridge between them.

Toph walked out into her small garden, and sniffed the air. Her fire-lilies were in bloom. Toph walked towards them, deciding to cut some for her table, and sighed again.

Most of her happy memories were tied in with the group, and she missed them dearly.

Maybe it was time to ask Katara to come visit.

* * *

Katara sat on her couch, reading the letter that Toph had sent her, a smile gracing her face.

It had been six years since Katara had seen Toph. Apparently, though no one would talk about it, she had a falling out with Suki and Sokka and ended up finding a place of her own. Though Katara had broached the subject, no plans had been made to see each other for the past six years.

And now Toph was extending her warmest welcome to Katara and Aang to come visit her in her home.

There was only one problem; Sokka was living with Aang and Katara. It was a fact that Katara had conveniently left out of their letters.

Not long after Toph left, a couple years maybe, Sokka and Suki had a falling out, and the warrior moved in with the young couple. So Aang and Katara attended to their peace-keeping duties, and Sokka maintained their home while they were away.

Katara supposed that she could just leave out where they were going, but she knew how much Sokka missed the young Earthbender.

Katara sighed. She would have to take him, but she wasn't sure that Toph would be happy about it.

* * *

Toph listened closely to Kiki, the girl who read her letters to her, and her eyes widened.

"Sokka's coming?" she whispered. His name was almost foreign on her tongue, and yet…it still seemed right.

"Yeah, that's what the letter says." Kiki replied. "Is that bad?" she asked. Toph closed her eyes and leaned back against her favorite chair by the window, and inhaled the salty air.

"No…I don't think so." She replied quietly. Kiki shrugged and let it go. The girl had been working for Toph for some time, writing letters and getting things from the market for her, so she knew better than to press the matter.

"When are they coming?" she asked instead. Kiki had heard tons of stories about Aang and Katara from Toph, but she had never mentioned Sokka before. Toph arched an eyebrow.

"You read my letters Kiki, you should know." She quipped. Kiki laughed.

"I still like to pretend. It's weird…like I'm eavesdropping on you." she replied. Toph laughed.

"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't employ you." Toph paused. "But a week, if you want to play pretend." She joked. Kiki nodded and sighed.

"You aren't going to want me around anymore, are you?" she asked. Toph smiled and ruffled the girl's hair.

"Of course I will. If I didn't talk to you, I'd probably have gone nuts by now." She grinned, halfway serious.

* * *

Sokka walked into the house after a long day of delegations and noticed that Katara and Aang were packing.

"Where are you guys off to now?" he asked, flopping down onto the sofa. Aang and Katara exchanged a glance.

"To go see Toph." She replied. Sokka froze with a fire flake halfway to his mouth, and stared.

"Toph?" he whispered. Katara nodded and went back to packing. Sokka watched her for a moment before she turned back to him.

"Are you going to pack?" she asked. Sokka perked up visibly.

"She wants me to come?" he asked. Katara and Aang nodded, and Sokka rushed out of the room, his fire-flakes forgotten.

* * *

Toph sat in her favorite chair, reminiscing in the scent of the ocean. A knock sounded on her door, and Kiki rushed to open the door.

"Oh my goodness, I am so excited to meet you guys!" she cried. Toph remained in her chair, and smiled as the scent of the ocean filled her room from a different source.

"Spirits Toph! Look at you!" Katara exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the younger woman. Toph smiled and returned her embrace, breathing in her familiar scent.

"Your boobs got bigger." Toph stated, sending Katara into a coughing fit.

"I guess you haven't changed." She said finally, a smile on her face. Aang pulled Toph into his arms next.

"Hey Twinkletoes!" she said, breathing in the scent of Appa. "Where's the big furry guy?" she asked. Aang smiled.

"Appa is in a stable in town. I figure we can all go for a ride after dinner." He said. Toph smiled.

"Which one of you is cooking?" she quipped. Katara and Aang laughed, but Toph's laugh dried in her throat when she smelled him; the scent of meat and the ocean.

Sokka stepped into the room and stared at Toph. She certainly had matured physically, but from what he could hear, she was still the same old Toph. Sokka glanced at Katara, as if asking for permission to hug Toph, and she nodded.

Sokka stepped forward, closing the gap between them, and wrapped his arms around her.

Toph was stiff for a moment, but soon, her arms found their way around his neck.

"It's good to see you," he breathed, relishing her warmth. Toph nodded and stepped away.

"Yeah, I would say the same, but…" she trailed off, waving a hand in front of her eyes. Yup, same old Toph.

* * *

Sokka waited until everyone had gone to bed before confronting Toph. The woman had hardly said four words to him all day, but was managing to make talk with the others just fine. Toph was headed towards her bedroom when he grabbed her arm.

"Hey, can we go for a walk?" he asked, hoping that she wouldn't say no. Toph reluctantly nodded.

"Sure, I'll grab my jacket." She said, turning towards the coat-rack by the door.

The two walked out into her garden and she bent a bench from the ground.

Sokka waited a few beats before speaking.

"Suki told me why you left." He said finally. Toph arched an eyebrow before blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

"Yeah, six years too late." She replied. Sokka stared at her for a long moment.

"Toph, Suki told me four years ago, when we broke up." He stated. Toph tried to stop the emotions that flooded her. Apparently, time did make the heart grow fonder, because she wanted nothing more than to take him in her arms.

"I'm sorry for your loss." She said after an awkward silence. Sokka surprised her with a laugh.

"It's not much of a loss when they drive your best friend away." Sokka laughed. Toph blushed despite herself, and sighed.

"Sokka…things aren't the same anymore. We can't go back to that again." She said flatly. Sokka stared at Toph. Four years had given him a lot of time to think, and he didn't want things to go back to the way they were.

Sokka leaned over until his lips were centimeters from hers.

"How do you want it to be?" he asked huskily. Toph blushed a deeper shade of red and sputtered for a moment.

"I…Sokka…are you even aware of what you're implying?" she finally asked. Sokka laughed and put a hand on the back of her neck.

"Oh yeah, I know." He said, leaning in and closing the gap.

**A/N: Just a little something to perk you up after such a sad one-shot. By the way, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I find myself rewriting to keep from being redundant. Anyway, thanks for reading and please review. Thanks again to my reviewers, I write for you! ~Kirsten**

**Coming soon: **

**Number Nineteen: Window**

**They say that eyes are windows to the soul. Toph wondered if that meant that she had no soul. When people looked into her eyes, they were vacant, glazed, empty. It scared Toph. It scared her parents; wasn't that why they wouldn't look at her?**

**Toph wondered what Sokka's eyes looked like. She wondered if they revealed his compassion, his humor, his strength. Toph wanted to look into that window, she wanted to be able to see his soul...but it was one window that would always remain closed to her.**


	6. Chapter 6: Window

**Number Nineteen: Window**

They say that eyes are windows to the soul. Toph wondered if that meant that she had no soul. When people looked into her eyes, they were vacant, glazed, empty. It scared Toph. It scared her parents; wasn't that why they wouldn't look at her?

Toph wondered what Sokka's eyes looked like. She wondered if they revealed his compassion, his humor, his strength. Toph wanted to look into that window, she wanted to be able to see his soul...but it was one window that would always remain closed to her.

* * *

Toph had been especially quiet lately, and it didn't go unnoticed by a certain Water Tribe warrior. Though Sokka would not directly acknowledge it, for fear of upsetting her further, he was worried about her. Even though he was dealing with his own split with Suki-a mutual split because of distance that ended with a friendship-he wanted nothing more than to see Toph smile.

Sokka watched Toph in a clearing, sending walls of rocks in different directions, centering herself after each move, and sighed. She hadn't trained this hard in a long time. And if that wasn't enough to alert Sokka to her distress, her shirt was on backwards.

Sokka walked over to Toph, a speech in his mind, but stopped as she turned to him. Her eyes were watering.

"Toph?" he called. Toph waved him over and plopped onto the ground, motioning for him to do the same.

"Sorry, I have sand in my eyes." She said weakly, swiping at her eyes. Sokka decided to let it go and looked down at her shirt. It was a deep jade with a large dip, meant to get some sun on her pale back. Katara had bought it for her a few days ago. Sokka averted his eyes from her cleavage and chuckled.

"Your shirt is backwards." He said, blushing furiously. Toph blushed in turn and popped her arms out the sleeves, spun it around, and popped them back out.

"Better?" she asked. Sokka nodded, unable to get the previous sight out of his mind and cleared his throat.

"You've been quiet lately. Is everything alright?" he asked, momentarily forgetting that he wasn't going to bring it up.

"Just stressed." She finally replied. Sokka smiled knowingly.

"Yeah, me too." He said. Toph turned her head towards him and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"Why?" she asked. Sokka smiled; she really had been out of it if she hadn't even noticed that he and Suki had broken up.

"Um…Suki and I kind of broke up." He said hesitantly, not wanting to make her feel like a jerk. It didn't work. Toph face-palmed.

"Sokka, I am so sorry. Are you okay?" she asked, concerned for her friend. Sokka laughed and swiped at the red mark on her forehead. He couldn't ignore the sparks that went up his arm at the contact. Had he felt sparks with Suki? He didn't think so.

"I'm fine." He said, recovering from the contact. His hand fell limply to his side.

An awkward silence settled upon them.

"Sokka, what's my worst feature?" she asked suddenly. Sokka stared at Toph, trying to find something about her that he didn't like.

"Um…I guess your violence?" he asked, unsure of what she was getting at. Toph shook her head and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"I mean, physically, what's my worst feature?" she asked again. Sokka stared at her again, trying to find something wrong with the Earthbender. After several minutes, Toph threw her hands in the air. "Okay, what's my best feature then?" she demanded. Sokka stared at her, confused about her hostility and smiled. That one was easy.

"Your eyes." He said with a trace of laughter. Toph turned towards him and shoved him over.

"That isn't funny." She growled before stomping off.

Sokka stared after her. His day just took a turn for the worst.

* * *

Katara watched Toph stomp into the house and slam her bedroom door shut, shaking the entire house. Moments later as if on cue, Sokka rushed in, calling after her.

"Toph! I was serious! What did I say?" he asked, knocking on her door. Katara shook her head and went back to washing the dishes.

Sokka banged on Toph's door for at least twenty minutes before retreating to his bedroom, the door also slamming shut. Katara dropped the plate she was holding and yelled.

"Quit slamming the damn doors!" she yelled. Unfortunately, Aang had walked in and stared at her with a stricken look. "Sorry," she mumbled, returning to her work. She had forgotten about her promise to stop cursing.

* * *

Toph lay facedown on her bed, tears streaming into the pillow. How could Sokka think that something so terrible was her best feature? What did that say about the rest of her? Was she really as disgusting as her eyes?

She hated her eyes. They were soulless, lifeless, they were grotesque and repulsive. She hated them…she hated herself. She would die alone because of her stupid eyes.

Toph brought her hand up to her face in a moment of anguish and scratched at her eyes, wanting to tear them out. But in the end, with claw marks down her face, she couldn't take away something that Sokka said he liked about her. Damn him and damn her eyes.

* * *

Sokka pushed open Toph's door, not even bothering to knock, and froze. Her face was bloodied, and she had scratches all over her cheeks.

"Toph, what happened?" he asked, rushing to her side. He touched her face gingerly and she jerked away from him.

"Don't touch me." She warned, backing away from him. Sokka sighed and walked out of her room, only to return moments later with a few medical supplies.

"Toph, let me see them. If you want Katara to heal you later, then fine. But she's in bed and I don't want them to get infected." He stated with an air of authority that Toph couldn't argue with.

Sokka wiped at her face gently with a wet cloth, and realized that the scratches had been aimed at her eyes. He thought back to their argument as he rubbed a healing salve onto them.

"Sokka…how could you possibly like my eyes?" she questioned, her voice sad. Sokka looked into the milky eyes that she was so upset with and smiled.

"They're beautiful." He answered, making sure that each cut was covered. He reached for her hands and wiped the blood from under her nails. Again, he felt the current pass between them and wondered if she could feel it too.

"Sokka…I don't understand." She confessed. Sokka dropped her hands and stared at her.

"What don't you understand?" he asked. Toph took a deep breath and raised a hand to warn him not to interrupt her.

"They're sick. People always say that eyes are the windows to the soul, and my eyes are empty. Does that mean that I have no soul? Does it mean that I am empty?" she asked rhetorically. Sokka opened his mouth and she slapped her hand over it. "I don't want you to answer because I already know Snoozles. Look, I don't want to talk about it again. Thanks for cleaning me up." She said, releasing his mouth and waving her hand to dismiss him. Sokka gathered up his things and went back to his room.

* * *

How could Toph possibly think that she didn't have a soul? Sokka knew that she had a soul. Toph was such a wonderful person, inside and out. She was a little rough around the edges, but so were diamonds, and look how beautifully those shined.

Sokka couldn't imagine why Toph had taken that expression so literally. Toph's eyes were one of her best features in his opinion. Despite their milky glaze, Sokka could always see what she was feeling. Sokka loved that she was such an open book…he loved that her eyes gave him a glimpse into her soul.

It pained him greatly to know that she despised them and had even gone as far as to turn on them.

Sokka sighed and resolved to bring it up in the morning, whether she liked it or not.

* * *

Toph woke up to a painful stinging on her face. With a sigh, she remembered what she had done and stood to go talk to Katara.

Katara was, once again, at the sink washing dishes. Toph tugged on her sleeve, and Katara turned to her.

"Spirits Toph, what happened to your face?" she exclaimed. Aang cleared his throat and Katara blushed. "Sorry Aang." She amended, turning back to the younger woman. She bent a small amount of water from the clean-water basin, and healed Toph's face. "It's a miracle they didn't get infected." She mused. Toph blushed and kicked at the floor.

"Sokka put some medicine on the last night." She said, her eyes cast towards the ground. Katara raised an eyebrow and then shuddered.

"I don't even want to know." She commented, returning to her chore.

Toph sighed and walked out into the yard, intending to vent her stress on some innocent earth.

But, Sokka was sitting in the middle of her training grounds in a lotus stance. Toph sighed and walked over to him, knowing that he wouldn't let sleeping badgers lie.

"Sokka, I don't want to talk about last night." She said when she got closer to him. Sokka looked up, and then sighed.

"Toph, we need to talk about it. Believe me when I say that." He pleaded, standing up and meeting her halfway. Toph huffed in response and bent two small pillars for them to sit on.

"Sokka, I really don't know what to tell you. I was upset, okay?" she said, hoping to pacify him. Sokka shook his head; she wasn't getting out of this one that easily.

"Toph, you can't honestly think that because you're blind that it makes you any less of a person." He stated. Toph nodded slowly.

"I hate it. Yeah, I can do most of the things I wouldn't be able to do with earth bending, but it isn't the same. No man will ever look at me like I'm worth something, because I'm blind. I'll never be able to see the color of yo…of the man I love's eyes." She stated, catching herself quickly. But not quickly enough.

"Toph, you don't need to be able to see someone's eye color to truly love them." He said. Toph snorted.

"Don't I know it." She replied bitterly. Sokka stared at Toph and shook his head.

"They're like…staring into the ocean. Pools of water almost." He stated, and Toph jerked. She knew what water felt like, she knew what the color was called, but it still wasn't the same.

"Those are things I know and feel, but I still can't see them." She stated, not even processing that Sokka had just let her know that he knew she was in love with him. Sokka smiled and tried again.

"You don't need to see them to love them. I already told you that. Would you feel better if you could feel someone's eyes?" he asked. Toph arched an eyebrow.

"No, probably not." She said warily. Sokka smiled.

"So then why do you need to see them?" he asked. Toph tilted her head towards the earth and sighed.

"Because I want to see his soul." She stated flatly. Sokka touched Toph's wrist and wrapped an arm around her.

"Toph, if you really love him, then you already know what his soul looks like." He declared. Toph's head jerked up to his, her eyes a little bit left of center, and smiled.

"Yeah, I guess I do know what his soul looks like." She whispered, her face beginning to perk up at the thought. Sokka smiled down at her and touched her cheek.

"Yeah, and I know what your eyes look like, what your soul looks like, and I still love you." he affirmed, wrapping his arms around her.

Eyes may be the window to the soul, but words were the window to the heart.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Mixed feelings about this one. Hopefully this was another good one? Maybe? Okay, I'll quit harassing you. Sorry, no preview on this one. It's almost midnight and once I start, I have to finish. Thank you all for reading and thanks to my kind reviewers. Please continue to review…they tend to lead to smiles. ~Kirsten


	7. Chapter 7: Money

**Number Nine: Money**

It started out as a simple bet brought on by a fit of boredom.

_Toph turned to Sokka, an evil glint in her sightless eyes._

"_Sokka, I bet you that I can wreak more havoc in one day than you could." Toph had challenged, waving one gold coin in the air. Sokka arched an eyebrow._

"_Bum challenge, you would just use Earthbending." He countered, his mind on a bag that he had seen in the market that was exactly one gold piece. This one claimed to keep meat fresh longer._

"_Fine, I could do it without Earthbending and still whoop your ass." She stated brashly. Sokka smiled and held out his hand._

"_You're on." He replied. Toph spat in her hand and shook his, missing the disgusted look on Sokka's face. _

* * *

And so it began. The two had made their deal over an hour ago, but neither had made a move yet.

In order to protect the citizens of the Omashu-where Toph was currently teaching King Bumi and some of his trusted leaders to Metalbend-the two decided that they would reserve their shenanigans for the group.

Aang was the first one to get pranked. First Toph took his staff, so Sokka hid Momo. Then, Toph used Earthbending all throughout a talk Aang was having with Katara to distract him. So, Sokka told Katara that Aang thought she was fat.

Needless to say, Sokka won the first round.

Toph smiled as she handed over her coin.

"I raise you ten gold pieces to whichever one of us can piss of Sugarqueen first." She smirked, her eyes alight with excitement.

"Hey no fair! You always piss Katara off!" He pointed out, but Toph shook her head.

"You do too. Those are my conditions." She stated, waiting for him to follow her towards the house they all shared. Sokka reluctantly trailed after her.

He had wanted to buy a replacement boomerang next month when they headed back to the North Pole.

* * *

Toph stormed into the house, banging the door loudly as she entered. Katara looked up from the couch, where she was reading a scroll Chief Arnook had sent her, and struggled not to yell.

"Toph, please don't bang doors." She asked, her eyes turning back to the scroll. It contained an interesting story about the last Waterbender Avatar.

Toph shrugged and filled a mug with water. Sokka followed her in, a large piece of seal-jerky in hand, and flopped down next to his sister. Sokka chewed loudly with his mouth open and leaned over her scroll.

"What's that you're reading?" he asked with bits of meat dropping onto the papyrus. Katara glared at him and sighed.

"It's a scroll that Chief Arnook sent me. You're getting it messy." She stated. Toph was sitting on the loveseat across from them, and _accidentally _dropped her mug.

"Oops." She stated before belching and putting her muddy feet on the white pelt covering the couch.

Katara took a deep breath and stared at the two troublemakers.

"Toph, how many times do I have to tell you not to put your feet on the couch? And are you going to clean that up?" she demanded, losing her patience. Toph grinned.

"Nope." She stated, and Katara stood up.

"Damn it Toph! What is your-" she began, but Toph stood up, and picked up the mug shards.

"Sorry Katara. Sokka, that'll be ten gold pieces." She stated, palm up towards Sokka. Katara stared in shock.

"You were trying to piss me off?" she demanded, clearly dumbfounded. Toph shrugged.

"Sorry, it's nothing personal," Toph replied. "It's just business." She smirked as Sokka placed the coins into her hand.

Katara stalked off, her hands in the air muttering incoherently about how unbelievable they were.

* * *

Toph smiled and dumped a bag onto the small table between the two couches.

"This is it, winner take all. Our challenge is Suki." She stated. Sokka arched an eyebrow.

"I can't piss Suki off. She's my girlfriend." He protested. Toph smiled wickedly.

"Do you realize how much money this is? You could buy a hundred boomerangs." She pointed out. Sokka sighed.

"Fine, but if it gets too intense we're done." He said, his eyes filled with a serious look that may have kept Toph in line if she had seen it.

* * *

Suki placed her fans on the dining table and walked into the living room. Sokka and Toph were sitting on opposite ends of the couch staring at her. Suki stopped and looked down.

"Did Appa sneeze on me?" she asked. Toph grinned at Suki, but Suki got the feeling that Toph was baring her teeth.

"Nah, you look about as bad as you normally do." Toph stated. Sokka's mouth dropped and he stared at Toph. Suki just smiled.

"Funny Toph, I almost was hurt until I remembered that you have no idea what I look like." She replied. Toph looked dejected for a moment, but perked up.

"I don't have to see you to run into your giant ass." She grinned. Sokka's jaw dropped again, and Toph smiled.

Suki turned and stared at her backside.

"It's not that big." She said upon further examination. Toph turned her head back towards Sokka and put her palm out. Sokka slowly shook his head.

"I don't know Suki. It is pretty large." He said, his eyes filled with uncertainty. Suki raised an eyebrow and glanced at Sokka.

"Are you guys fighting?" she asked, hoping that was the reason for their hostility. Sokka shrugged.

"Nah, I just thought that-" he began, but Toph stood up.

"Sokka has a really nice ass." She said, worried that he was going to beat her at her own game. Suki and Sokka both turned to the blind woman, their eyes wide.

"Excuse me?" Suki said, her eyes drifting back and forth between the two. Sokka glanced at his girlfriend, and then his best friend; Toph was really playing dirty.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, standing up, determined to win the bet. "Well…" he trailed off, unsure of how to top her. And then his instincts took over. Sokka reached over, grabbed Toph, and pressed his lips to hers. Toph's eyes went wide and Suki gasped.

"What is going on here?" she demanded, and both pulled apart. Sokka sent Suki a guilty look and held out his palm.

"I think I win this one." He said, though his heart wasn't really in it. Suki's eyes showed the hurt he had caused, but it was the look on Toph's face that scared him the most. She looked…devastated.

Toph threw the bag of money on the table and fled from the house.

Suki stared at the bag of money and at Sokka.

"Would you please explain to me what in the name of spirits is going on?" she demanded, her hand on her hip. Sokka stared at Suki for a long time before speaking.

"I have no idea." He said finally. Suki threw her hands up and walked to the bedroom she and Katara shared.

* * *

Katara glanced up from her scroll as Suki entered their bedroom. Katara quickly assessed her angry look and sighed.

"Did they get you too?" she asked. Suki looked up, startled from her thoughts, and stared at Katara.

"What do you mean?" Suki replied. Katara sighed and rolled up her scroll.

"Toph and Sokka had some stupid bet going. First they upset Aang, then they upset me, and I assume they upset you next." She said, her blue eyes filled with concern. Suki nodded slowly.

"Yeah, they got me too." She answered finally. Katara rolled her eyes.

"Who won?" she asked. Suki shrugged.

"Sokka, I guess. He kissed Toph." She replied. Katara stared at Suki blankly.

"What? Are you kidding me?" she demanded. Suki shook her head.

"I wish I was." She said, her grey eyes downcast. Katara sighed.

"I'll handle it." She replied before standing.

* * *

Katara approached Toph slowly, hoping that Toph wouldn't be in a state of hostility.

When she reached the younger girl, Katara cleared her throat softly.

"Toph, can I sit down?" she asked. Toph shrugged, her back to Katara.

"It's a free world." Toph replied, not even bothering to turn around. Katara sighed and sat down beside her.

"Toph, what's going on?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern. Toph shrugged again.

"You tell me." She replied shortly. Katara ran a hand through her hair, and glanced at the back of Toph's head. The girl's hair was falling haphazardly out of its bun.

"You and Sokka kissed." She prompted. Toph snorted.

"Sokka kissed me." She corrected. Katara struggled to remain calm.

"Toph, look, I don't want to upset you, but…" the words died on her tongue as Toph spun around, tears streaking her pale face.

"I'm already hurt Katara! What more could you possibly do to me?" she demanded, her glassy eyes wild. Katara sighed and pulled Toph into her arms.

"Toph, I know that you love Sokka, and I am so sorry that he would do something so thoughtless. But you have to realize that's all it was. Thoughtless. If he had any idea how you feel about him, he never would have done something so hurtful." Katara assumed her. Toph sighed and buried her face in Katara's shoulder.

"I just want to pretend that this whole thing never happened." She declared, her eyes still watery.

Katara nodded and held the young woman.

* * *

Suki tapped on Sokka's door, and waited for him to grant her entrance.

When he did, his eyes were bloodshot and Suki could tell he had been crying.

"Sokka," she said, following him into his bedroom. "I just want you to know that I'm not going to break up with you. Katara told me about the bet. Although I'm a little hurt, I want you to know that I won't hold it against you." she assured him.

Sokka slowly shook his head.

"Suki, I need to say some things, and you aren't going to like them." He said, and the female warrior nodded before sitting.

"I had a feeling you might." She confessed. Sokka took a deep breath.

"When I kissed Toph, yeah, I was just trying to outdo her to win the bet. But when our lips met…it was like…it was like it was right, like it was meant to be. Suki I am sorry, I love you, and the last thing I want is to hurt you. But…we shouldn't be together, not if I feel like this." He stated, his eyes sad. Suki nodded and bit back her tears.

"I love you too Sokka and I wish you two the best of luck. I hope that someday you and I can be friends again." She replied before hugging him. Sokka kissed her forehead and told her to be safe.

* * *

Suki packed up and left that night. She hugged Aang and Katara goodbye, and would have parted on good terms with Toph had she come home.

But she didn't.

The sun had been down for hours and Katara was beginning to worry.

"Aang, what if she got lost?" she asked. Sokka walked out of his room and looked around.

"Toph still isn't back?" he asked, receiving annoyed glares. "What, are you blaming this on me?" he demanded, confused as usual. Katara huffed and Aang sighed.

"I don't think she's lost, but I do think that we need to go look for her." He stated diplomatically. "It would be best if we split up." He added.

Aang went north, Katara went south, and Sokka went east. As luck would have it, Sokka stumbled upon her. She was camped out in a small rock-tent on the outskirts of town.

"Toph, can we talk?" he asked, tapping on one of the walls. The wall slid down as her way of accepting his offer.

"What do you want?" she demanded, her eyes cold. Sokka sighed and sat down in front of her.

"Toph, listen. About what happened…that is…I mean…" Sokka lost his nerve. "Is that why you left?" he asked. Toph snorted.

"Wow, leave it to you to point out the obvious." She declared, already losing interest in his motives. Sokka sighed and tried again.

"Look Toph, I don't know why it upset you so bad, it was just money." He stated. As soon as the words were out he realized how wrong they were.

"You are such a self-absorbed prick! You don't know why I'm so upset? You want to know why I'm so upset? I'm so upset because I am so stupid! I am the idiot that fell in love with someone who would never love her back. And then, said guy, just kisses her for money. For money Sokka. You kissed me for money!" she said, screaming the last bit.

Sokka's head dropped in shame.

"Toph, I'm sorry. It may have started out that way, but believe me, that's not how it ended." He confessed. Toph's eyebrows shot up.

"What do you mean?" she asked skeptically. Sokka smiled.

"Well, I kissed you, you remember that, and then, well, what you don't remember is what I felt." He said, feeling like the idiot Toph had described.

"Okay, what did you feel?" she prompted. Sokka smiled again, his fears melting away.

"I felt good. I felt like it was…supposed to be. I felt like I was supposed to be with you." he stated. Toph stared over his shoulder, a small smile forming.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way." She replied. Sokka stared at her for another moment before shaking his head.

"Telling me that you feel the same would be nice right about now." He said with a nervous laugh. Toph grinned and leaned forward.

"Nah, that would be too easy." She replied, capturing his lips and breathing in his scent. "I would rather show you." she added, before kissing him again.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Sorry that one took so long to get up. We were having power issues. Anyhow, here's this one. Thank you all so much for all of the reviews. My sister and I were discussing how everyone who feels that a story was good should review, and I mentioned a few of the comments I had gotten. Thank you all for reading and please review or continue to review. They really do mean a lot. ~Kirsten


	8. Chapter 8: Delusional

**Number Sixteen: Delusional**

Toph listened to Sokka and Suki argue; the Kyoshi warrior was angry about his refusal to go back to Kyoshi with her. Sokka insisted that he had to go to the Southern Water Tribe to help his people rebuild.

It was getting annoying.

Toph was sick and tired of their bitching and to be frank, Suki was delusional if she thought that Sokka was going to abandon his people for her.

Though, Toph also figured that she was delusional if she thought that Sokka would ask her to go to the icy tundra with him.

Toph sighed and stood up, planning on breaking up the fight before it turned to blows, but changed course and headed towards the riverbank.

Sokka noticed Toph retreating out of the corner of his eye and put up a hand.

"It's not good to fight in front of her." Sokka said. Suki rolled her eyes.

"What is she, your child?" she spat, her eyes dark with anger. Sokka stared at Suki and wondered what had happened to the girl he had fallen in love with. Sokka glared back at Suki and sighed.

"No, she's my friend." He said, turning on his heel to go after the younger girl.

* * *

Toph skipped a few pebbles into the river, her milky eyes cast down towards the body of water.

She hated that Suki and Sokka were fighting. Yeah, she had feelings for Sokka and wanted nothing more than to be with him, but she didn't want it to happen with a fight. She wanted to Sokka to realize her worth and come chasing after her.

Maybe it was just a third-wheel's delusional musings.

Toph knew she didn't have a chance with Sokka; spirits, he was head over heels for Suki.

But, she still couldn't help but wish that it was her in his arms and her that he gazed at lovingly.

Toph shook her head, why was she getting all girly? As long as Sokka was her best friend, she would deal with it.

Heavy footsteps alerted Toph to Sokka's presence.

"Toph, are you alright?" he inquired, sitting down beside her. Toph snorted and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked haughtily. Sokka stared at her and sighed.

"Toph, I just…I don't like fighting around you." he stated. Toph laughed, a sound that seemed richer to Sokka than previous years.

"I'm fifteen Sokka. I'm not a little kid that goes running when mommy and daddy fight." She replied, harsher than necessary. Sokka watched her for a moment before smiling.

"Look, I meant it when I told Suki that I'm going back home, but…you know, I wouldn't mind if you came with me." He said, hoping that Toph would take the hint.

"You want me to come with you?" she asked skeptically. Sokka laughed.

"It wouldn't be home without you." Sokka replied confidently. Toph smiled and punched him in the shoulder.

**

* * *

**

Two Years Later

* * *

Toph shivered in her parka, despite the warmth that embraced her. After two long years, Toph liked to consider herself adapted. But it wasn't the cold bothering her, it was Sokka's words.

"So that's the plan." He finished, staring at Toph for her approval. Toph kept her sightless eyes aimed at the floor, and said nothing. "Toph, what's wrong? I thought you would be happy to get out of the cold." He continued. Toph's eyes widened and her head shot up.

"You want me to go with you?" she asked, confused by his words. Sokka nodded quickly.

"Well of course I want you to go with me. Why wouldn't I?" he asked, also confused. Toph sighed and looked away.

Sokka's latest plan was to go to Ba Sing Se and arrange for some of the people of the Earth Kingdom to try to help Aang rebuild the Southern Air Temple. Toph had been surprised that Sokka had invited her to the South Pole, and she had just been waiting for him to tell her that it was time for her to go.

"I don't know…I just thought…" Toph trailed off, feeling that it would be best if she kept her feelings to herself.

"Well don't think whatever it was you were thinking, because I do want you to go with me. Who else is going to save my ass?" he asked, only semi-serious. Toph grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. When do we leave?" she inquired. Sokka smiled.

"First thing in the morning we'll take an airship to the nearest island and then travel by foot." He replied. Toph smiled.

"Alright Snoozles, we should get to sleep then." She replied.

* * *

Toph and Sokka sat hunkered down beneath a tree.

"Whose brilliant idea was it to travel by foot?" Toph demanded, her small body shivering in the cold downpour.

"Toph, maybe you could bend a tent instead of complaining." He replied. Toph sighed and stood up, still shivering, and bent a small tent from the ground.

"That's the best I can do." She stated, rushing into the shelter it provided, Sokka following closely behind her.

Sokka's breath caught in his throat when he realized just how small the tent was.

His breath hitched again when he realized that Toph was thoroughly soaked.

Sokka cleared his throat and turned away.

"We should…um…bed down for the night." He said firmly, trying to get the sight from his mind. Toph shrugged and reached into her pack, and her expression slipped.

"Sokka, my sleeping bag is soaked." She stated sadly. "And I'm already freezing." She added hastily. Sokka couldn't deny the goose-bumps on his arms, but smiled.

"You can use mine Toph. It's still dry." He said, handing the roll to her. Toph smiled and laid it out before climbing in.

Ten minutes went by before Toph let out a cry of frustration.

"Get in here Snoozles, I can't sleep with your teeth chattering all night." She huffed angrily. Sokka smiled and climbed in, basking in the warmth she had managed to achieve. That was when he realized that Toph was naked.

No, she couldn't be naked. Sokka realized that the cold was making him delusional.

And then Toph sneezed.

"Bless you," Sokka said softly. Toph groaned.

"Hate to say it Meathead, but you're going to have to strip. Your clothes are soaked." Toph said, though she sounded anything but disheartened. Sokka sighed and stripped, feeling extremely awkward.

A few minutes later, feeling returned to his toes, and Sokka began to drift off to sleep.

And then Toph rolled over, snuggling into Sokka's back. His eyes shot open, and he was painfully aware of her warmth. As her arms wrapped around him, Sokka felt a sense of serenity cloak him, and slept as he had never slept before.

* * *

Sokka stretched outside of the rock tent, clothed in semi-damp clothing, and lit a fire. A few minutes later, Toph emerged, a sweet smile on her face. Toph plopped down beside Sokka, in only her underclothes, and grinned.

"Last night, huh?" she asked. Sokka blushed and poked at the fire.

"Do you have to make it even more awkward than it already is?" he asked. Toph laughed and leaned against him.

"It wasn't awkward for me at all. What's wrong Sokka, did your manly hormones kick in?" she joked. Sokka blushed deeper and continued poking the fire. After a long pause, Toph jerked up. "Oh my goodness, they did! You wanted me!" she exclaimed, only partially serious. Sokka turned to her slowly.

"Toph." He cautioned. This was dangerous territory. Toph smiled lazily.

"It's okay to want me. I am hot you know." She quipped. Sokka stared at her, feeling more than uncomfortable and sighed.

"So I've noticed." He replied. Toph's eyes widened and she turned to him fully.

"Sokka, I was just kidding." She said earnestly. Sokka grinned.

"I wasn't." he said, leaning over and kissing her forehead. "I don't know how I would have made it without you." he said, baring his soul to her. Toph blushed and smiled.

"So, you like me, huh Snoozles?" she asked. Sokka laughed.

"No, I don't." he leaned over and pulled her to him. "I love you brat." He replied, his lips seeking out hers.

**

* * *

**

A/N: I know that this one is short, but I felt like it was dying. So, please review and thank you all for reading. More soon, and special thanks to my reviewers. ~Kirsten

**Coming Soon:**

**Number Seven: Terror**

Toph's blood ran cold as she felt his grip on her hand weaken.

"Sokka, don't you give up on me. Katara will be here soon. Just hold onto my hand, hold onto my voice." She pleaded.

Sokka coughed hard, blood bubbling up into his mouth from his chest, and for once, Toph was happy she couldn't see.

Toph had never felt such terror in her life.


	9. Chapter 9: Terror

**Number Seven: Terror**

Toph's blood ran cold as she felt his grip on her hand weaken.

"Sokka, don't you give up on me. Katara will be here soon. Just hold onto my hand, hold onto my voice." She pleaded.

Sokka coughed hard, blood bubbling up into his mouth from his chest, and for once, Toph was happy she couldn't see.

Toph had never felt such terror in her life.

She could feel Sokka's faint heartbeat, and screamed for Katara again.

The siege on the Air Temple that the group had struggled to rebuild had been sudden and brutal.

Sokka had fought bravely before being dealt a coward's blow.

Toph only wished she had been closer when the attack had happened, maybe then she could have prevented it.

After what seemed like an eternity, Katara was finally at Toph's side, her healing waters running over her brother's body.

Toph bit back tears and turned away from the siblings, helping the Temple's residents fight off the last of the rebels.

She could feel his heartbeat with each breath she took. Toph could feel it growing stronger but nothing could quell the terror that had dug its way under her skin.

* * *

Sokka looked around the room, and his eyes locked with Katara's.

"Am I dead?" he asked, eliciting a laugh from his sister.

"No, we got to you in time. Sokka, what were you thinking taking on five armed men?" Katara lectured. Sokka smiled weakly.

"It was four less men for you and Toph to have to fight." He said nobly.

Katara sighed and kissed the top of his head.

"Sokka, I love you, but you could have got yourself killed. Toph was so scared. She hasn't slept in days." Katara confided. Sokka struggled to sit up.

"I was out for days?" he demanded. Katara looked away.

"I couldn't heal you completely. Your ribs are probably going to hurt for a while. It's probably going to scar too." She admit, seeming defeated. Sokka rubbed her shoulder.

"Hey, I'm just glad to be alive." He assured her. Sokka looked around. "Could you send Toph in?" he asked. Katara nodded and left the room.

Toph entered a few minutes later.

Katara was right, Toph did look sleep deprived. Her hair was out of its bun and in tangles down her back. She wore a black kimono and her eyes had dark bags beneath them.

"I'm glad you're up Sokka." She whispered, sitting down beside him. Her eyes held a hint of an emotion that Sokka couldn't place.

"Thanks for…you know, staying with me." He said, reaching for her hand. Toph shifted, avoiding his hand and shrugged.

"You're welcome. Look, I don't want to be mean, but I have a lot to do. I'll check on you in a little bit." She said, standing to avoid any argument. As her kimono billowed out behind her, Sokka realized what the emotion was.

It was fear.

* * *

Toph slammed Suki up against the side of the house and glowered at her.

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Toph demanded, her voice low and fierce. Suki looked away from Toph's sightless eyes and sighed.

"When Sokka almost died…I couldn't handle it. You don't understand what it's like to lose the person you love." Suki whispered, pain saturating her words. Toph grabbed her chin and forced Suki's eyes back to her.

"Bison shit I don't know. I held him as his heartbeat weakened, and it scared me too, but you don't see me running away." Toph pointed out, her face menacing. Suki pulled away, her eyes closing against Toph's glare.

"Toph, I'm sorry. But I can't do this. Take care of Sokka for me." Suki said, picking up her bag and leaving. Toph remained frozen to the spot, her heart racing and her hands shaking.

Finally, Toph turned and went back into the house, her heart aching.

What made Suki think that Toph wasn't scared? What made Suki think that Toph was any stronger than her? What made Suki think that she had a right to leave Sokka over fear, Toph certainly wasn't.

Toph knocked on Sokka's door, and pushed into the room, flopping down beside him on the bed.

"Snoozles, we have an issue." She said, her forced complacency masking her worry.

"What's that Toph?" he asked, his voice thick. Toph rolled over and put her head on his shoulder.

"I'm terrified Sokka." She replied, her complacency slipping. Sokka turned his head and stared at her, remembering the look she'd had in her eyes earlier.

"Of what Toph? Those guys aren't coming back." He assured her, putting a hand on her shoulder. Toph shook her head slowly and smiled.

"I'm not scared of them Meathead." She replied. Sokka smiled and rubbed her shoulder.

"Then what are you afraid of Toph?" he asked gently. Toph closed her eyes, losing her nerve, and changed the subject.

"Did she say goodbye to you?" Toph wondered aloud, hating Suki for abandoning Sokka.

Sokka nodded and a few tears slid down his cheeks.

"Yeah, basically." He answered. Toph brought an arm around him and rubbed his back.

"I'm sorry Sokka." She comforted, and Sokka snuggled into her embrace.

"Thanks Toph, it really does mean a lot to me that you're still here." He admit, his eyes searching hers. Toph looked away, the fear flashing in her eyes once more.

* * *

A week later, Sokka was well enough to leave his bed and attend to some of the easier tasks around the house.

Toph would 'watch' over him, often silent, and they fell into a routine.

Get up, get bathed, get dressed, eat, tend to veggies, eat, wash clothes, eat, sleep, and repeat. On it went for several months.

Sokka missed that he and Toph no longer joked like they used to, but he was glad that she was still by his side. Though Sokka wondered why she had become so quiet, he didn't bring it up. Sokka was terrified that he would drive away the one woman who had always stood by his side.

Sokka had realized that Toph was a lot stronger than Suki in more ways than one. He was working off of the assumption that Toph was afraid they would be attacked again, and that she could lose her life. But still, she stayed with the group because that was what was important to her, danger included. Toph remained by his side and he was beginning to see how big of a difference it made.

He was falling in love with her.

And it scared him.

What if another attack occurred and Sokka lost her? He couldn't stomach the thought. The thought of a world where Toph didn't exist wasn't a happy one.

Despite Toph's distant behavior, Sokka found himself noticing new things about her. Like the way her eyes caught the sun and sparkled. Or the way she would brush her hair when she thought no one was looking.

There were so many things Sokka had overlooked about Toph, but there was still one thing that he could not ignore.

There was an ever-present look of fear in her eyes, as if the innocence had died.

* * *

Toph hadn't meant for things to change between her and Sokka, but it was hard to be happy when she was constantly remembering that instant when Sokka's heart stopped. It was like her heart had stopped, and it hadn't started beating again.

Toph wondered when the fear would go away, when she would be able to be herself again.

And then, something changed with Sokka. There would be times when she would feel eyes on her, only to notice Sokka's heart start racing and him turning away.

It was weird in a good way. It was like…he was seeing her as…a girl.

But…even if he did want to be with her in _that _way, Toph wasn't sure if she could handle the constant fear that it would bring on.

It was time for a talk with Sugar-queen.

* * *

Katara opened her bedroom door to an extremely angry looking Toph. Katara opened the door wider to let Toph in, and smiled as she sat down on Katara's bed.

"I think your brother is in love with me." Toph stated bluntly. Katara's grin widened and she hugged Toph.

"That's great, I'm so happy for you two!" Katara exclaimed. Toph shook her head.

"I don't think that I can be with him." She replied flatly. Katara deflated beside Toph.

"Why not, you've been in love with him since we were kids." Katara asked. Toph looked away, seeming ashamed with herself.

"I'm so scared that he's going to get hurt." Toph said after a moment. Katara reached over and ruffled Toph's hair.

"Toph, Aang is the Avatar, you think I don't get scared too? It gets hard, I won't lie, but it really does get easier. In the end, Aang always comes back to me." Katara assured her. Toph shook her head.

"But what if he doesn't come back? Part of me would die too if something happened to Sokka." Toph confessed. Katara was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Part of you would die whether you were with him or not, so why not enjoy the time you do have with him and live life to the fullest. You never know, you could die first Toph." Katara answered. Toph smiled slowly.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks sis." Toph hugged Katara before leaving the room.

* * *

Toph collided into Sokka with such force that it sent her flying backwards.

"Spirits Toph, I am so sorry." He said, bending over to help her up. Toph groaned and grabbed his hand, only to pull him down beside her.

"You are going to pay for that." She replied. Sokka stared at her for a moment before laughing.

"Oh yeah, and what do you want me to do?" he asked, reveling in their closeness. Toph propped herself up on one arm and leaned over him.

"I want you spend the rest of your life with me." She replied, her face a mask of sincerity. Sokka smiled slowly.

"I think I can do that if you promise me one thing." He demanded. Toph smiled.

"What's that?"

"Don't be afraid anymore." He stated, hoping that she would trust him to protect her. Toph laughed.

"You got it." She replied.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Okay, here's this one, more soon. I tried to make this one more upbeat, but I'm not sure how much I liked it. A little shorter than most too, but I hate to kill the point by going on and on. Anyway, thanks for reading and please review. Ahh! Love my reviewers, you guys are so awesome. ~Kirsten


	10. Chapter 10: Porcelain

**Number Two: Porcelain**

Sokka had survived a war that had nearly wiped out his tribe. He had helped destroy the air fleet that could have devastated the Earth Kingdom. Sokka had even infiltrated the highest security prison the Firenation had to offer, and lived to tell the tale.

But there was one thing that Sokka wasn't sure he would be able to survive.

If he had to see one more mark on her porcelain skin, he was going to kill someone.

* * *

Sokka had always ignored his sister when she told him that Toph had a crush on him. Sokka could picture himself with Toph, but he couldn't picture her wanting to be with him, so he stayed with Suki. It wasn't that he didn't like Suki; it was just that he and Toph were closer.

And then one day Suki cheated on Sokka with Haru. So Sokka broke up with her, and at first, with how close they were, he thought that he and Toph were going to get together. But then, Toph shifted away from him, spending her time in undisclosed places.

Sokka being Sokka, he decided to take it upon himself to find out where she was going to each day.

It turns out that Zuko's head of security had a thing for the dark-haired beauty.

Now Toph was twenty at the time, well old enough to make her own decisions, but…Sokka still felt like he needed to do something.

So Sokka confronted her.

_Sokka touched Toph's pale shoulder, her dark hair down and whipping in the harsh wind._

_Toph turned to him, her milky eyes settling on his chest, a soft smile on her face. She was wearing a brown, strapless dress, and she looked stunning._

_Sokka gulped and tried to focus on his mission._

"_Toph," he began. "I don't like this guy you're seeing." He stated bluntly. Toph rolled her eyes._

"_It's not about what you like Snoozles, it's about what I like." She replied, her smile faltering. Toph reached up and coaxed her hair into a hair tie while Sokka struggled to find the right words._

"_He scares me. I was watching him in a duel, and he was good. But…good in a scary way." Sokka muttered, his words true but weak. Toph smiled and laughed softly._

"_That's a good thing Sokka, he can defend me." She replied, reaching out and hugging her best friend. "Look Sokka, I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine, really. I promise you that if_ I_ ever get scared, you'll be the first to know." She added. Sokka hugged Toph tightly, hoping that she could feel the love in his embrace. He inhaled her earthen scent for a moment before pulling away and touching her cheek._

"_I promise you Toph, I will always be here for you." he assured her. Toph smiled and punched his arm._

That had been a few months ago, before the trouble began.

It may have been a month ago, maybe more, maybe less, but regardless, it was when the problems started.

Toph came home to the house they all shared on Ember Island-though it was only he and her and the time-with a swollen eye.

"_Toph," Sokka cried, standing up to touch her face. "What happened to you?" he demanded. Toph pulled away and smiled at him._

"_I got into a fight, no worries Snoozles." She replied, though her eyes seemed guarded._

_Sokka stared at her blankly._

"_Who could you have possibly gotten into a fight with? You're a war hero, everyone respects you!" He exclaimed, walking to a stone chest the held cool water from a nearby stream. He took a rag from above the sink and dipped it inside the chest._

_Toph shifted and dropped her gaze to the floor. _

"_Just some jerk in town," she replied as Sokka pressed the rag to her cheek. "Look, thanks for your concern. I'm going to go to bed." She smiled and took the rag from him, then retreated towards her bedroom._

_Sokka stared after her, and the next day, when a dozen Fire Lilies came for Toph from Chan, Sokka wasn't surprised._

Sokka had let it go. What else could he do? Unless she could tell him what happened, Sokka had no right to go bust open Chan's head.

Though at that point, he really wanted to.

* * *

When Toph came home a few weeks later with her arm cradled to her chest and bruises on her arm asking for Sokka to get Katara, Sokka lost his mind.

He stormed out of the house, after fetching Katara of course, and went to Chan's home.

_Sokka kicked open the door and drug the man out by his collar._

"_I don't know what you were thinking, but if I see one more mark on Toph, I'll rip you apart. Do you understand me?" Sokka demanded, his voice low and menacing._

_Chan simply smiled. "Maybe she deserved it," he sneered. Sokka turned around, grabbed Chan by the throat, and slammed him onto the ground. Sokka held his fist around Chan's neck until the man turned purple. Then Sokka let him go._

"_Touch her again and I'll kill you." he warned before turning to leave. Chan stood and pulled a dagger from his belt, and aimed it towards Sokka's back. _

_He threw it, and in a split-second, Sokka plucked it from the air, having turned with such speed that it was almost unreal._

_Sokka threw the dagger into the ground before Chan and shook his head._

"_I should have known someone that could hit a woman would also be a coward." He whispered, turning and heading back to the home he shared with the woman he loved._

* * *

Toph sat on the couch in the living room, her arm propped up, and her lip scabbed.

It was the first thing Sokka saw when he entered the house.

Sokka walked over to Toph and knelt in front of her.

"Toph, do you mind if I look at your arm?" he asked. Toph's head jerked up, as if she had been in thought, and she nodded hesitantly.

"I guess…Katara already healed it though. She said it would be sore for a few days." Toph replied, her voice soft.

Sokka picked up her arm gingerly and stared at the bruises. His eyes welled with tears as he stared at her once-perfect porcelain skin.

Sokka took a deep breath and closed his eyes, putting her arm back on the pillow, and reached up to her face.

He ran his fingertips over her swollen lip and shuddered.

"Toph, can you tell me exactly what happened please?" he asked softly. Toph's eyes were wide with the feeling of love that had graced his touch, and she shook her head.

"Sokka, it's nothing. It was that same prick in town that I've been having problems with and…" she trailed off, feeling his heart rate climb.

"Toph, please don't lie to me. I know that he hit you." Sokka pleaded. Toph looked away, her guilt confirming his fears. "Toph, why would you stay with a man that hits you?" he questioned, his heart aching.

Toph closed her eyes and her head dropped in shame.

"I would rather be with someone that hits me than be alone. You don't understand how hard it is to find someone that is willing to accept my blindness." She stated, standing and fleeing the room. Sokka stared after her.

"But I love you Toph, and I would never hurt you." he whispered to the emptiness of the room.

* * *

Sokka barged his way into Zuko's bedroom, a guard lying unconscious on the floor behind him.

Zuko looked up from his bath water, his eyes wide, and looked around for something to cover himself up with.

Sokka turned around, but stayed in the room.

"I'm sorry to barge in on you-" he began, but Zuko cut him off.

"Sokka, where is my guard? And what is so important that it couldn't wait?" he demanded, sinking lower into the tub.

"Trust me, this can't wait." He assured the Firelord.

Zuko sighed and stood up, pulling a robe on, and turned to Sokka.

"Fine, let's go talk." Zuko said.

The two walked out to the couch in the corner of Zuko's bedroom and sat down. Sokka took a deep breath and sighed.

"You need to fire Chan." He stated. Zuko laughed.

"Why would I do that?" he demanded. Sokka sighed and raked a hand through his hair, his ponytail down for once.

"He's been beating Toph." He replied softly. Zuko's eyes widened and he shook his head doubtfully.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Sokka nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

* * *

Chan stormed into Sokka's house, not even bothering to knock, and grabbed Toph from her seat before slamming her against the wall.

"You stupid bitch! I'll kill you!" he screamed, his eyes wild. Toph's eyes were stricken as Sokka opened his bedroom door and looked out.

When he spotted Chan he rushed over, dropped his shoulder down and rammed into him.

Chan went flying and Toph crouched down to the floor, holding onto her injured arm. Aang and Katara rushed in from the garden and stared at the scene unfolding before them.

Before Chan could attack, Aang sent a burst of air at him and Katara froze him to the floor. Aang looked up at Sokka as Chan began to yell again.

"What's it going to be Toph? You can have a life with me or you can stay with this poor excuse for a man." He challenged, playing on Toph's fear of being alone.

Sokka turned towards Toph, his adrenaline still pumping and laughed.

"Toph, you don't have to be with him. I tried to tell you before Toph, I love you, and you have me. You don't have to be alone if you don't want to." He stated, his eyes softening with the realization of what he had just confessed.

Toph's eyes went wide before her head dropped.

"I need to be alone right now," she stated, standing and moving to her bedroom.

Aang and Katara exchanged a glance and decided that the best thing for them to do would be to get Chan out of there, and give Toph and Sokka some time to talk.

* * *

Sokka knocked softly on Toph's door and waited for her to grant him entrance.

"Come in," she whispered. Sokka pushed open the stone door and stared at Toph.

There were tears on her face.

"Toph, look, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, but I meant what I said. Toph, I've been in love with you for a while, and I thought we had a chance to be together. When I saw what that asshole did to you…" he trailed off, feeling the blind fury pulsing through his veins again. Toph stood up and closed the space between him, putting her good hand on his arm.

"Sokka, I'm okay. I just wanted to be with someone…I let that get in the way of who I am. I still can't believe that I let him lay hands on me." Toph sighed and tilted her head up towards Sokka. "By the way Snoozles, I love you too."

Sokka hadn't been able to prevent Toph from getting hurt the first two times, but he would be damned if there was ever another mark on her porcelain skin.

**

* * *

**

Okay, I don't know about this one. I am so sorry I haven't updated. The internet was down and then I had a Trojan virus...but everything is all fixed now. Anyway, I have a few chapters that are almost done, so I'll get those up soon. Thank you all for reading and please review. Thanks again to my faithful reviewers. You guys are amazing! ~Kirsten.

**Number Eight: Sacred**

**Toph's POV**

**It was something that I didn't believe in fully, kind of like Airbenders until I met Aang. I didn't honestly believe in Spirits and all of that karmic energy that Aang preaches about.**

**The way I see it, strength, guidance, conscience, and wisdom come from inside you, not some crusty old spirit too ornery to cross over.**

**But I was wrong. Boy was I wrong.**


	11. Chapter 11: Sacred

**Number Eight: Sacred**

**Toph's POV**

It was something that I didn't believe in fully, kind of like Airbenders until I met Aang. I didn't honestly believe in Spirits and all of that karmic energy that Aang preaches about.

The way I see it, strength, guidance, conscience, and wisdom come from inside you, not some crusty old spirit too ornery to cross over.

But I was wrong. Boy was I wrong.

* * *

I had been in love with Sokka for as long as I had known him. There was something special about him…sometimes I couldn't put my finger on it. One day it could be the way he took care of me when most people would overlook my needs-like helping me on Appa-or making sure that I had enough to eat. Or it could be the way that he made me laugh when I wanted to hit someone. Or it could be the way he was able to out-eat any other man we came across.

I don't know, maybe it was the way he always kept me around, despite what Suki had to say about it. Whatever it was, I loved Sokka more than I ever thought I could love anyone.

Somehow, I wasn't surprised when Suki told Sokka that she had finally had enough. I wanted to tell him right then and there how much I loved him, but I knew that he needed time to mourn the loss of the relationship and to get over her.

So, even though I didn't want to, I kept my feelings secret.

But Sokka didn't get over Suki like I thought he would.

In fact, Sokka decided that we needed to go to Kyoshi Island so he could try to win her back.

That was a failure and disaster.

Suki apparently had more pressing matters to attend to, if you get my drift.

Pressing matters such as an unplanned pregnancy and a break-neck wedding to prevent dishonor.

In the end, Sokka and I went to Omashu, and we were both heartbroken.

I realized then that he would never stop loving her, and just as I could not see him, he would never see me.

* * *

I hung in for a few months with Sokka before I called it quits.

Every time I heard him cry, or smelled the sickening-sweet scent of sake on his breath, or every time I felt him take his hurt and frustration out on the earth, it broke my heart.

I just wanted him to be happy, and to be happy with me.

But in the end, Toph Bei Fong, the greatest Earthbender in the world, broke. I couldn't handle him breaking himself down over a girl who didn't love him the way I did.

So I sat him down and told him that I was going back to Gaoling.

_Sokka shifted, his heart rate slowing significantly._

"_What do you mean you're leaving?" he asked quietly. I closed my eyes and bit my bottom lip._

"_Sokka, it's just that…I know you're hurting, and I don't want to leave you alone, but I'm hurting too Sokka. I think we need some space." I replied. Sokka shifted again, and his pulse soared with anger._

"_Great… fantastic! You say you need space, just like Suki. So what now, I'll come see you in a few months and you'll be pregnant too?" he demanded. _

_I hadn't even realized that he knew._

"_Who told you Suki was pregnant?" I asked quietly, not bothering to reply to his accusation. That boy was the only person I would be willing to do anything with, and that was obviously not happening…_

"_Come on Toph," he snorted. "I may not be smart, but I'm not stupid." He replied bitterly. This self-pitying man was not the man I had fallen in love with._

"_Sokka, look, it'll be good for you. You get to have some freedom without having to worry about me." I said, though I don't know if he even does worry about me._

_Sokka was quiet for a moment, and then sighed._

"_Toph, you aren't going to be with me, of course I'm going to worry about you. I'll worry about you every minute of every day." He countered before pulling me into a hug._

That was the end of it. I left the next day with a hug and a 'best wishes'.

* * *

A year later, I hadn't heard from Sokka. I had heard of him, from Katara and a few rumors, but that was it. Unlike with Suki, he never came to check up on me.

I tried to convince myself that it was for the better.

I even dated a few men…but none of them were Sokka, and that was something that I could never change, no matter how much I wanted it to.

Then Katara sent me a hawk and told me that Sokka was headed to Gaoling in hopes of spending some time with me.

I didn't know what to think. I wasn't sure if he had finally gotten over Suki or if he was just sick of being alone.

No matter what the reason, I was waiting on the docks for Sokka.

When the final ferry of the day pulled up, I stood and shifted my feet constantly, hoping to feel his heartbeat again.

But when I did find Sokka's heartbeat, there was another familiar heartbeat and a new one.

He had brought Suki and her child.

* * *

The four of us sat at my kitchen table, meat spread before us in honor of Sokka's visit.

While he was stuffing his face, and Suki was eating slowly, giving bits to her small daughter, I could not bear to stomach anything.

Bile was high in my throat and my knees were shaking.

What was I thinking? I mean, here I am in my best dress-yes dress, pale yellow with thin straps-and showing off the body that I had finally been blessed with, and he's brought along Suki and her child.

I thought she was married!

I shoved my chair back abruptly and stood.

"I'm sorry, I need to get some air…I think my meat was undercooked." I lied, rushing to my front door. I shoved it open and headed down the beaten path in my yard towards the small stone clearing that I use to practice.

I plunked down and took several deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself.

Within seconds, Sokka approached, and although I had missed him deeply, I couldn't handle whatever excuses he would make.

So I forced a stone room around me, and closed my eyes, allowing my tears to finally fall.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there listening to Sokka pounding on the walls, but at some point, I slipped into sleep.

_

* * *

_

I looked around and immediately realized that I was having a dream like never before. Usually, when I dreamt, I just saw shadows and grays, nothing noteworthy. But this, everywhere I looked, there was color and shapes. It was as though I could see like a regular person.

_I turned around and began walking down the small field I was in. It was weird walking without my Earthbending telling me where to go, but the grass felt so soft beneath my feet, and the sunset was so vivid._

_I jumped when a hand fell on my shoulder, and spun around, hands raised and prepared to defend myself._

_From the looks of my 'attacker' I wouldn't need to._

_It was a woman…probably the same age as my mother with long brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was dressed in blue clothing, and she had a face that just begged for me to confide to her._

_She smiled._

"_I did not mean to alarm you, Toph Bei Fong of the Earth Kingdom, heir to the flying boar empire." She said softly, her voice reminiscent of someone…someone whom I couldn't place at that moment._

"_How do you know who I am," I asked. "And why can I see?"_

_She smiled and motioned for me to sit down as she did the same, smoothing out her blue skirt._

"_Toph, I know that this all seems strange to you, but I really don't have enough time to explain all of this to you." she replied. I shrugged and sat down beside her._

_This was all a dream, I guess I should make the best of it._

"_Sure, lay it on me then." I said as I laid down and stared at the sky. _

"_You have something very important in your possession, something that once belonged to me, and I want to make sure you take very good care of it." She whispered. _

_I glanced at her and noticed that her hair was parted down the middle into two low ponytails. _

"_Yeah, and what might that be?" I asked, only partially believing her. She smiled at me._

"_Would you consider you and your mother to be close?" she asked. I rolled my eyes and snorted._

"_Yeah right, she can't stand the fact that I'm not the helpless little blind girl she thought I was." I countered._

_The woman laughed softly._

"_Do you remember what it was like before you discovered Earthbending? Do you remember how you used to look up to her?" she asked. _

_I sighed knowing exactly what she meant._

"_Yeah." I admit slowly._

"_Well, my son looked up to me too. But now…he's given his heart to someone else, and I just want you to make sure that you take good care of it." She replied. _

_I jerked up and stared at her. That voice…could she be Sokka and Katara's mother? But I thought that she was…_

"_Sokka? Are you talking about Sokka?" I demanded. The woman laughed._

"_Yes love, I am Kya of the Water Tribe, daughter of Kanna, wife of Chief Hakoda and mother of Katara and Sokka." She said with a sad smile._

_This can NOT be happening._

"_Look, I don't mean to burst your bubble, but Sokka is in love with Suki." I informed her. Kya laughed again._

"_No my dear, Sokka is not in love with Suki. In fact, he came back to be with you." she said calmly. I rolled my eyes again, noticing the sunset beginning again._

"_Yeah, then why did he bring Suki and her daughter?" I challenged._

"_Suki and her daughter were traveling to Gaoling to meet her husband's family. He is a warrior that was injured and is in an infirmary here." She replied simply, as if this was perfectly reasonable. "Toph," she continued. "Love is something sacred, something to be felt and lived, and something that is to be both adored and feared. The bond between you two is strong in a way that many cannot achieve. You should be proud Toph." She concluded._

_I stared at her blankly until she began to fade before my eyes. Everything began to fade._

"_Thank you," I whispered as darkness once again claimed my vision._

* * *

Slowly I came to, hearing Sokka's fists still pounding on my walls.

With Kya's words fresh in my mind, I let my walls down and let Sokka in.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Wow, this one was…eh…you guys can be the judge of that. Let me know guys, I can't fix the issues if I don't know what they are. Although, if you are going to cuss at me-as I have had in other reviews-please do me the courtesy of doing it through a PM. Thanks, Kirsten


	12. Chapter 12: Darkness

**Number One: Darkness**

**Sokka's POV**

**A/N: WARNING! Okay, this one deals with a mature theme, and although I don't exactly go into detail about the actual…act…I just want to warn anyone that may take offense towards the discussion of it. I, of course, mean no offense or harm, and I just want people to realize that I am not trying to make light of the situation or subject. I want people to understand that I am trying to shed some light on the true power that love can hold. Um…okay, onward.**

After the war ended, everyone thought that things were going to be okay.

I mean, don't get me wrong, we all knew that it was going to be a challenge. But, we didn't expect our group to fall apart.

Especially not the way it did.

* * *

I guess it all started when Suki and I broke up.

The war had been over for nearly four years.

It was mutual and we agreed to stay friends. I mean, yeah, I was sad, but I was okay with it. At the time, we were still in the Firenation at Zuko's palace.

Katara and Aang were planning on traveling to the North Pole to garner Chief Arnook's support of some new law-I wasn't really paying attention-and Toph's parents were whining about how she needed to come home.

Needless to say, Toph was being pretty hostile, and for some reason, I ended up with the brunt of it.

_Toph stared vacantly over the balcony of the beach house. I watched her face for a moment, taking in her troubled expression, and smiled._

"_Doesn't the sea look beautiful tonight?" I asked her. Toph's back stiffened and she swiveled her body towards me. _

_She waved her hand in front of her face in a gesture that had come to mock me._

"_Blind," she muttered, turning back to the sea._

"_Right…sorry, I forget sometimes," I began. "It's just that…you're such a strong and independent woman…" I trailed off feeling like an idiot as her milky eyes came to rest on me again. She shook her head slowly._

"_Sokka," Toph said softly. "That's not true at all. You think I like being alone? You think I like being surrounded by darkness?" she challenged. _

_For a moment I didn't know what to say, and by the time I had found my words, she stood up and walked back into the house._

A couple weeks passed, and the day before Aang and Katara left, Toph ran away.

She didn't go far, and we found her within an hour or so.

The running away wasn't the bad thing, what happened when she got back was.

_Toph sat in the chair, a scowl on her face, and burrs on her pale dress. Katara was lecturing her, although she probably wasn't listening, and Aang was giving her a reproachful look that she couldn't see._

_Suddenly, Toph stood up and knocked her chair backwards._

"_Would you just shut up? It doesn't matter. I don't want to go home to my family, and I can't stay here with you guys because you're all together and happy and a family. Guess what, I don't have that!" she yelled, tears streaming down her face. Katara and I exchanged a glance, and Aang touched her shoulder._

"_Toph…sometimes things don't happen in life the way you want them to, like your parents being controlling, but you are family to us. We all love you…" he paused as Toph's nostrils flared._

"_Bison Shit!" she yelled, stamping her foot. "You and Katara are so wrapped up in each other that you probably don't even know what color shirt Sokka's wearing!" she accused. I looked down just to be sure._

"_Toph, that's not true." Katara said softly. Toph shook her head in disgust and stomped out of the room._

_I gave it a few minutes before I went after her._

"_Toph," I said, knocking on her door. "Can I come in?" After a moment, her stone door slid open and I joined her at the foot of her bed._

_She was lying in bed facing the wall, her face a rigid mask._

"_What do you want Snoozles, to tell me how wrong I am?" she demanded sarcastically. I smiled and touched her bare shoulder._

"_No, you're pretty much right. Katara and Aang are really into each other, but they do still care. Besides, it isn't them that you need to worry about. It's going to be you and me traveling the world together." I said cheerfully._

_Toph sat up and slapped me. A searing pain burned a course through my cheek._

"_You have no idea what you do to me! You just keep talking and pretending and I'm so sick of it!" she screamed. _

_I stared at her blankly._

"_Toph, I don't know what-" I began._

"_Yeah I know. I don't know what you're talking about." She mocked. Toph lay back down and sighed. "Look, I'm going to go see my parents for a while. I'll send a hawk if I change my mind."_

Toph left that night without saying goodbye.

* * *

A year went by, and I celebrated my twenty-first birthday in a tavern alone. Katara and Aang were solidifying their plans to get married, and no one had heard from Toph since that night. Her parents had contacted us several times, begging for information.

I spent every moment of my time worrying about her, terrified about whether or not she was safe. I felt like a part of me had been ripped away, leaving me weak and bleeding.

I missed her with every part of my being, and in the end, too late of course; I realized it was because I love her.

In the time since Toph had vanished, I had moved in with my father, eventually taking over the running of a smaller tribe that none of us had even known existed during the war.

So, being a Chief, I wasn't exactly at liberty to up and go search for Toph, but I used what resources I could to try and track her.

It was hard not to run off every time there was a lead, but out of the hundreds we had followed, none of them had produced her.

I mostly stayed put, hoping and waiting for the day that Toph would show up. It was hard to keep my hopes up, but I tried.

Katara and Aang weren't much of a help either. I mean, they tried to help, but it was hard for Aang to get away from his duties, and it was even harder for Katara to fathom being without him.

It had been nearly six months since I left my tribe to follow a lead, so I felt as though I had earned the right to go on this one.

I had no idea what was in store for me.

* * *

I arrived in Ember Island during the hottest part of the summer.

I opted out of my Tribal clothing for a thin, sleeveless kimono and thin pants. I felt pretty odd wearing traditional Firenation colors, but hey, the clothes were a gift from Zuko.

As I walked through the streets to where one of my soldiers was waiting for me, I couldn't help but wonder whether or not this lead could be real.

When I caught up with Zu at the restaurant where we were supposed to meet, the look on his face alerted me that I was probably right.

He stood up and bowed deeply to me.

"It is an honor to be in your presence Chief Sokka." He said. I smiled at him and waved a hand.

"Please, for the last time Zu, call me Sokka. And none of this bowing crap, it's embarrassing." I said with a laugh. Zu smiled and nodded.

"Okay, please, take a seat." He said, gesturing to the booth. I slid in and he followed suit, waiting until after we had placed our orders to speak.

"So," I began after an awkward pause. "How certain are you that you've found her?" I asked, unable to say Toph's name because of the lump that always wedged itself into my throat.

Zu shifted and sipped his water.

"Well, she's been confirmed by her parents. This is definitely Miss Bei Fong." He said softly. I suppressed my excitement as I noticed the look on his face.

"Then why do you seem so upset?" I asked even quieter. Zu stared at me as tears welled in his eyes. Oh spirits, tell me she's not dead.

"Ch…Sokka, we all know how much you love her, and I wish that someone else would have discovered her instead of me. You and I have become good friends, and it nearly kills me to tell you this." He replied, his gaze dropping to the plates of food placed in front of us. We both pushed the plates away at the same time, leaving our server confused.

I forced a smile and waved her on.

"Zu, we are good friends, and if something is wrong, then I would want nothing more than for the news to come from a good friend." My own eyes filled with tears; what if I had lost Toph? Could I even go on?

Zu took a deep breath.

"Sokka, Toph is alive, but she is not well. She's residing in Ash." He confided. I stared at him blankly.

"What is Ash?" I asked puzzled. I had traveled the world and never heard of the place.

Zu picked up his fork and pushed his rice around.

"Ch…Sokka, Ash is an acronym for A Safe Haven. It's a psychiatric ward…in fact, Princess Azula is housed there as well." He said after the silence had become unbearable. I could feel my jaw drop.

"What do you mean she's in a psychiatric ward? Toph is the strongest damn woman out there!" I exclaimed and a few patrons stared at us. I ducked my head and dropped my voice. "She's got to be working as a counselor or something." I reasoned.

Zu sighed.

"The faculty wasn't at liberty to tell me why she ended up there. But they allowed me to speak with her." His voice had dropped again, and there was something wounded in his voice.

I could feel my heart breaking. What had happened to my Earthbender?

"What did she say?" I asked finally. Zu looked away and his head dropped.

"She couldn't speak to me. She was…broken. She wouldn't come near me…in fact, she hid in a corner and screamed until I left. Sokka, I am so sorry. I don't know what to say." He replied and his eyes misted again. I sighed and closed my eyes.

"I have to go see her." I stated finally. Zu stared at me as if I had sprouted another head.

"Sir, please do not take offense, but are you sure that is a wise decision?" he asked. I smiled slowly.

"Yeah, Toph is my life, my family, I can't abandon her…I won't abandon her."

Whatever conviction my voice held was enough to convince Zu to take me to her.

* * *

I stared at the woman before me, unwilling to believe that she was Toph.

She had long black hair that was tangled and hung limply down her back. Despite the prison-like garb she wore, one could tell that she was thin. Her shoulders were shaking with silent sobs.

"Toph?" I whispered. Her head whipped around and her milky eyes settled on mine. I stumbled backwards at the haunted look within them.

"Sss…" she rasped, as if she had not spoken in so long. I glanced at the nurse beside me, and she nodded encouragingly.

"Is it alright if Sokka comes in?" the nurse asked. Toph slowly nodded. The nurse nudged me forwards into the room, and I knelt before her.

"Toph, it's Sokka, do you remember me?" I asked. Toph nodded slowly and reached a thin hand towards my face.

I took her small hand in my own and pressed it to my cheek. Though I tried to keep my tears in check, they fell, and when they contacted Toph's hand, she wrenched away from me.

She fled to the corner of her room, her back to me and began to rock. The nurse touched my shoulder and motioned for me to follow her out of the room.

"Listen, I know that it seems hard right now, but believe me, that's the most effort she has given towards anyone outside of her counsel that has spoken to her. Were you planning on staying?" she asked. I nodded slowly.

"Yes, I plan on staying." I said that last part loud enough for Toph to hear and then continued. "Do you know where there is a hawk post?" I asked.

* * *

I sent a hawk to my father, asking him to ask Hakoda to take over my tribe until I could come home.

The next hawk I sent to my tribe, asking them to give Hakoda their respect and vouched for his trustworthiness and ability to lead.

The third hawk I sent to Zuko, asking him permission to use his seaside home until Toph was able to come home with me.

The final hawk was sent to my sister, informing her of Toph's condition.

I went down to an inn after paying the hawk-keepers some extra coins to inform me the moment any of the hawks returned.

I settled in for the night with a warm glass of sake and a splitting headache.

* * *

Zuko's hawk came back first, the next morning in fact.

He told me that I was more than welcome to his home, and asked if I needed him to come down. He sent a pouch of gold pieces, and told me to buy another hawk since Hawky had long since disappeared. He also gave me the names of all of the nurses at the facility in case I needed to garner some respect.

I walked down to a local restaurant not far from Ash and had some breakfast.

As soon as I walked in the door of Ash, the same nurse from before pulled me aside.

"Sokka, I want you to know that when Toph got up this morning she asked for you. I didn't know where you were staying, but I hoped that you would come." She said with a smile.

I handed her the cage number for the hawk I had purchased and smiled.

"I'm staying in Firelord Zuko's summer home, and this is my personal hawk. The guards at the post have been informed to notify me as soon as any come for me." I told her. She smiled and held out her hand.

"I'm Song by the way. I met the Firelord a long time ago, when he wasn't so sure of who he was." She told me. I smiled and shook her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I said.

I followed her down the hall to Toph's bedroom, and smiled when I noticed she was sitting on her bed instead of the floor.

"Hi Toph," I said softly. Toph's head tilted up, and she nodded.

"Hi." She rasped. I took another step forward and smiled again.

"Do you mind if I come in?" I asked. Toph nodded slowly, and moved over enough to make room for me to sit with her.

When I sat down beside her, I noticed she smelled clean, but…not quite like herself. I glanced at Song and she smiled.

"Toph and I went to the bath house this morning when she found out you were coming." She confirmed. I glanced at Toph and noticed that her hair was still tangled.

"Toph," I asked hesitantly. I wasn't sure how she would react. "Would you like me to comb your hair?" I continued. Toph's head tilted to the side and she smiled slowly, her eyes hidden behind long hair.

"O…kay." She rasped. I glanced at Song.

"Could we have a comb and a glass of water please?" I asked. Song smiled and nodded before leaving. When she came back, I began combing Toph's hair while she sipped the water.

As I watched the soft tendrils of hair soften and tame, her soft voice reached my ears.

"Sokka, I missed you." she whispered. I touched her chin and tilted her head towards me.

"Toph, I missed you too. There's something I need you to know." I said softly, not wanting to speak louder than she was. Toph stared up at me and sighed.

"What…what's that?" she asked. Her voice was unsure, and it scared me. I missed the strong girl I once knew.

"I love you Toph, and I need you to know that. I want to be with you, no matter what, for the rest of my life." I replied. I held my breath for a moment before she drew away from me.

"I'm sorry Sokka but I think you need to go." She whispered, chugging the rest of her water and turning to the wall.

I stood up, my heart breaking, and left her, not wanting to push her further than she could go.

* * *

My father's hawk was waiting for me with a guard as I left the facility. I tipped the guard and took the scroll.

_My son, _it read. _I am so sorry to hear about Toph. Please, let me know if you need me to come. Son, I admire your courage in such a painful time. Try to be strong for Toph, even when things seem as though they are bearing down on you. If there is even one person in her life right now that loves her and is there for her, it may be enough to help chase away the demons that are plaguing her. Again, please, send for me if you need me because I will drop anything to help. I love you son._

During the walk back to Zuko's summer house, I received another hawk.

_Sokka, _Katara wrote. _I can't believe it. This all seems so…surreal. I mean, after everything we've been through. Spirits, Sokka, Aang and I are on our way down. I know that you probably think you need to do this alone, but we'll be by _your _side to help keep _you _strong. I love you, and we'll be there soon._

I read her letter a few times in an attempt to grasp why she thought that I needed support. I would be fine as long as Toph got better.

* * *

Song sent for me the next evening, saying that Toph wanted me to trim her bangs for her.

When I showed up at the hospital, Song gave me a pair of scissors and apologized for having to stay in the room with us.

As I was trimming, Toph's voice rang in my ears, but it was stronger now.

"Sokka, thank you, you know, for what you said yesterday. It's just that…well…I'm not the same girl I used to be. I'm broken now. I'm not…I'm not good enough for you." she said, her head dropping in shame.

If it weren't for my training with Piando, I may have stabbed her in the eye when her head dropped. I sighed and tilted her head back up.

"Toph, I love you no matter what. You _are _good enough for me, no matter what happened. I mean that Toph." I told her earnestly. I pulled her hair back into a loose bun and stared into her eyes. Even though they seemed haunted and plagued by darkness, I knew that I loved her.

I knew that I would not leave her side.

I would be her light in the darkness.

* * *

Three years after the brutal attack on Toph, she and I left Ember Island with plans of marriage, and headed back to the tribe we would guide together.

Though she had often begged me to let her leave sooner, it wasn't until she _told_ me that we were leaving that I believed we were ready to go.

Even though Toph would always bear the scars of what had happened to her, she had allowed herself to hurt, and allowed herself to heal.

In the end, we broke through the darkness together.

**

* * *

**

Okay, this was a long one shot, and again, I hope no one was offended. Please review and thank you for reading. ~Kirsten


	13. Chapter 13:Bigger

**Bigger:**

**Toph's Point of View**

Some time ago, I made one of the biggest and happiest mistakes of my life.

I kind of took advantage of Sokka when he was drunk. You see, it was so beautiful, he even said my name when we were…yeah…so anyway…there's one problem.

Well, two problems really.

The first is that he's still with Suki and he doesn't remember anything.

The second problem is that I am pregnant.

But I had it all planned out. I was going to tell the group that I was moving in with my parents, at which point I would move in with Uncle Iroh, and no one but him would ever even know. I would never see the group again and Sokka could continue to be happy with Suki. I would be sad, but at least I would have broken away clean.

Except that things went wrong.

* * *

I was just barely starting to get bigger. My chest hurt, and I could feel my skin stretching around my stomach.

I had gone down to the market and bought a new kimono in the hopes that it would conceal my growth.

The four of us were sitting down to dinner not too long after that when Katara turned to me.

"Toph…don't take this the wrong way, but I think you bought the wrong size." She said carefully, apparently trying to avoid hurting my feelings. I snorted and blew my bangs out of my eyes.

"What are you trying to say then?" I challenged. Katara shifted and probably glanced at Aang for help, because he spoke between Sokka's loud chewing.

"I think Katara is trying to say that your new kimono is a little tight…like…well…" he trailed off, at which point I am almost certain he stared pointedly at Katara.

"It makes your chest look bigger." She admit finally. I rolled my eyes and picked up the roll on my plate.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." I replied, effectively ending the conversation.

* * *

I decided that after that conversation, it was time to leave. I sent a hawk to Iroh, telling him that I was in need of help and asked if I could stay with him until I got on my feet. As soon as he sent me back a hawk-or rather, the scribe I had used to send it-I would tell the group that I was leaving.

On my way back to the house a few days later, after getting word that I could stay with Iroh for as long as I needed, I decided that I would keep my lies as simple as possible.

I waited until dinner.

"Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that I am going back to my parents." I said nonchalantly.

The table grew silent as eating ceased.

"When were you planning on doing this?" Katara asked. I shrugged my shoulders and took another bite.

Inside, I was hurting so bad. I wanted to tell Sokka everything. I mean, I was in love with the man and having his child, and he was oblivious to everything. I just wanted to be the woman he wanted.

"I guess tomorrow or the next day." I said calmly, like my heart wasn't breaking. I wanted Sokka to speak up, to tell me that he didn't want me to go.

"I'm sorry Toph, but that just isn't possible. We have delegations for the next three months." Katara replied.

The delegations…how could I have forgotten about that?

No one said anything else, and it was as if I had never spoken.

So much for making a clean break.

* * *

I stayed in my room the entire week before delegations. The way I counted it…I was probably close to five months pregnant. In about two months, there would be no way to hide it.

Actually, in the week that I had hidden, I had grown more than I thought possible. My chest was huge and my stomach was rounded out and fighting to be level with my chest. I couldn't see myself, so I had no way of knowing if I was doing an adequate job of hiding it.

As it were…I was wearing a large tunic and skirt, and I could still feel my stomach.

I took my hair out of its bun before walking to the kitchen table to endure breakfast before a day of delegations.

When I sat down, Aang stopped mid-sentence and I heard Sokka drop his fork. I guess I wasn't as hidden as I thought.

"Toph, are…do…is…" Katara sputtered for a moment, and then I felt her chair slide back as she moved closer to me.

"Katara…" I warned, feeling as though my cover was blown. Katara took a deep breath and sighed.

"We'll go to the market and get you some new clothes." she said finally, her voice even. She held her hand out to me and in that moment I knew that no matter how much I may have screwed up or how mad at me she was, Katara would always be my family and take care of me.

* * *

Two more months went by, and if it were possible, I got even bigger.

Katara never asked me who the father of the baby was, so I never volunteered any information. She gushed every time she was close enough to feel the baby kick or when it would get the hiccups. She was already in love with the baby.

However, she got even more motherly; always telling me to eat vegetables and get plenty of rest and on and on.

On the bright side, Aang and Sokka didn't say anything to me at all. Actually, none of us had ever used the word pregnant, but the boys just acted like I needed to lay off the meat.

It wasn't until I was kicked out of the council that Sokka even talked to me about being pregnant.

"_Miss Bei Fong, there is no need for such language, it is a decision we all agree with." The voice mocked. Because of the baby, I was completely blind._

"_Aang, Katara and Sokka don't want me gone." I challenged stubbornly._

"_They do not realize the extent of your…condition." He drug out the word condition like a slap to the face. I could feel tears forming in my eyes; this was the one honor that had made my parents proud. My parents knew nothing of my _condition.

"_Whatever," I muttered. _

_I spun around and ran smack into a broad chest. Oh spirits…I knew that chest._

"_Sir," Sokka began. "Do you think that the council will let her return after things calm down?" he asked kindly. The man sighed and then shifted._

"_I believe that may be a possibility." He confessed._

_Sokka took my hand and guided me away from the meeting house and led me to a small park not far from it. We sat down on a bench and surprisingly, he kept my hand wrapped in his._

"_Toph," he said softly. "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? Aang and I didn't even realize you were until a few days ago." I smacked my forehead and sighed._

"_I just didn't want to talk about it." I confessed. Sokka raked his other hand through his hair._

"_Toph…why isn't the father helping you?" he asked. My head jerked up and tears filled my eyes._

"_Sokka…don't." I said flatly, fighting a lump in my throat. Sokka sighed and kissed the back of my hand._

"_Well, you know that Aang and I will be good role models. Aang can teach him to be all kind and good, and I'll teach him how to hunt. We'll be good uncles." Sokka said with what I assume was a smile. _

_I nearly choked on the lump in my throat. _Uncle Daddy.

"_What makes you think I'm having a boy?" I demanded instead. Sokka laughed softly._

"_Guys just know these things." He stated confidently._

* * *

Sokka and I never talked about the father again. I wanted to tell him, but I was so sure that he had forgotten all about us having sex when he was drunk.

I had about a month left when Suki came to visit.

She walked into the front door, and Sokka was hot on her heels.

"Suki," he said, his tone pleading. I tilted my head up from the deck of cards Katara had me shuffling and realized that she was staring at me.

"Hey Suki, how was your trip?" I asked. I had hoped that Katara or Sokka had warned Suki that I was pregnant, but apparently it had gone unnoticed.

"Toph," Suki began, but Sokka cut her off.

"Suki, please." Sokka pleaded. Katara stood up, her prediction cards forgotten, and put herself between Suki and myself.

"Look guys, whatever is going on, are you sure that Toph needs this? Any amount of stress can send her into early labor. Everything needs to be calm." Katara warned, her hand on my shoulder.

"Just tell me the truth Sokka!" Suki yelled. I jumped despite myself; I had never heard Suki yell before. Katara clutched me closer and sighed.

"Whatever you and Sokka are fighting about, you need to take it outside!" Katara commanded. I closed my eyes and counted to ten.

Suki sighed and knelt in front of me.

"Toph, I just need to know if there is any chance that Sokka could be the father." She said quietly. Katara dropped the deck of cards, and Sokka slapped his forehead. I heard Aang shuffle towards the front door, and I sighed.

"I know exactly who the father is." I stated flatly. I could not talk about this. As far as I knew, Sokka didn't remember. But if Suki knew…then that meant that Sokka knew…Sokka knew and he still didn't want me.

"Wait a minute, wait just a damn minute," Katara said, her voice growing edgy. She turned towards me and stared. "You slept with Sokka?" she demanded.

I could feel the panic rising in my chest, constricting me like a rat-viper. If I tell her yes, then Sokka will get in trouble with both Suki and Katara. And if I say no, then I will have lied…and…oh spirits…

I felt myself sway slightly before my legs gave out from beneath me. Katara caught me on my way down, and my consciousness slipped to nothingness.

When I came around, I could feel Katara rubbing my forehead. She was talking in hushed tones to Sokka.

"Why didn't you tell us that you slept with Toph?" she demanded. I could hear Sokka shifting under her glare.

"I didn't want you to get mad. I had no idea that Toph was pregnant. Do I know for sure if the baby is mine…no, I don't. Now whether I am the father or not, I do want to be there to help her in any way that I can." His voice was filled with conviction. Katara sighed.

"But Sokka…what makes you think that you aren't? I mean, you are the only guy I have ever seen Toph react to." Katara argued. Sokka sighed in turn and then touched my wrist.

"I always kind of thought that Toph had a thing for me…but I wasn't sure. I didn't want to give up a sure thing on the chance that Toph really did like me." He admit quietly. I felt my hand start to shake; he had considered being with me? Katara sighed once again and stopped rubbing my forehead.

"Sokka, nothing is ever guaranteed. But you and Toph have this…affinity. You have this special kind of relationship that is just…it's…perfection. For all of its flaws and violence and sarcasm, there is kindness and compassion and love. You guys are like the sun and the moon. You work so well in rhythm and unity that your relationship has to work." Katara explained. Sokka was quiet for a long time before speaking.

"When she gets up I have to talk to her." He said finally. Katara nodded and stood up.

"What about Suki?" she asked softly. Sokka laughed bitterly.

"I don't think she's even in the picture anymore." Sokka confessed.

I heard Katara leave and rolled from my back to my side. Sokka stood and sat down on the edge of my bed.

"Toph?" He whispered. "Are you awake?"

I sighed and nodded.

"Yeah Meathead, I'm awake." I replied. He touched the exposed skin of my shoulder.

"Listen Toph, I'm sorry about Suki. But…what she asked you…am I the father?" his voice was soft, careful, maybe even fearful. I opened my eyes and longed to stare into his.

"Yes." I whispered, the word coming out mangled and weak. He was the father, and there was no doubt about it. So why was I so afraid?

"You're vulnerable." He clarified. "I took advantage of your feelings. I knew that you loved me and I always kept you around like a plan b. I should have never done that Toph. I should have given you the love and affection you deserved. I know I'm a little late, but I want to be with you Toph. I want you and I to raise our son together." He said, taking my hand in his own. I tipped my head back and hoped my eyes were aligned with his.

"I think that we can work something out," I said coyly. Sokka leaned down and pressed his lips against mine.

"I sure hope so." He replied, one arm going around my waist and the other moving to caress my enlarged stomach.

**

* * *

**

A/N: I don't think that this one was as up to par as I had hoped for. And you would think this would have been an easier one for me to write. Regardless, here it is. Please review and thanks so much to everyone who already has. You guys know who you are and you know that you are so incredibly awesome. I lost track of the actual number of the words, so they're just going with the title I guess. Anyhow, Dreams is up next. Thanks for reading! ~Kirsten


	14. Chapter 14: Dreams

**Dreams**

Toph did her best to glare at the woman before her, but one could only do so much if one was blind.

Aunt Wu just smiled at Toph and Katara nodded enthusiastically.

"So, you want to know what about your future child? Do you wish to know if you will marry, or do you wish to know if your future brings wealth?" she questioned, her hands tracing the weathered edges of her prediction deck. Toph snorted.

"I can tell you that I will have wealth and I will not get married." Toph stated flatly. Katara rolled her eyes and nodded to Aunt Wu.

"Why don't you go ahead and do the prediction, Toph is a skeptic." Katara said with a slow smile. The trip had been, after all, her idea. She had hoped that Toph would have been a little more receptive.

Aunt Wu shrugged and shuffled the deck before asking Toph to cut it. As she laid the cards out on the table, her eyes widened and she gasped.

"My child, why are you so certain of your future?" she inquired. Toph rolled her eyes and momentarily forgot that Katara was in the room.

"Well, the guy I love is in love with someone else, and since I helped end the war and I am the sole heir of the Flying Boar enterprise, I'm pretty much set for life as far as money goes. I have no idea when I'll die, but it will probably be in battle, and I will most likely be alone." Toph informed her. Katara stared at Toph in concern and sighed. Aunt Wu smiled at Toph though.

"I will tell you the same thing that I told your friend; you are in control of your destiny, and you may shape it any way you want. Right now, your cards show exactly the path that you are on, but, should something change, should you tell this man perhaps, they could change as well. You may not end up alone after all." Aunt Wu assured her. Toph rolled her eyes and stood up.

"Thanks for the prediction." Toph said sullenly before stomping out. Aunt Wu turned to Katara.

"So, is she in love with your husband?" Aunt Wu asked in a hushed voice. Katara laughed.

"Not even…she's in love with my brother." Katara corrected.

* * *

Toph grumbled as she pushed her way through the throng of people trying to get a reading from Aunt Wu. She was determined to put the old woman's words out of her mind.

Toph wasn't forcing herself to be alone or to die alone, she just would. That was what destiny had for her. Toph couldn't change that anymore than she could change the fact that she was blind.

Just then, she collided with a large chest and the faint scent of meat wafted up to her nose. Sokka stared down at Toph, his arm muscles bulging in his sleeveless tunic.

He smiled as Toph shoved him away.

"Did Aunt Phony give you a good reading?" he asked, his voice deep from age. Toph grunted and blew her long bangs out of her eyes; it was about time for a haircut.

"Yeah, she told me I was going to die alone." She informed him. Sokka's smile dropped from his face and he shook his head vehemently.

"Toph, your life is what you make it. I told you before we came about how her predictions aren't always right." He comforted. Toph sighed and they walked back to the inn they were staying in.

"Whatever, it isn't like I care anyway. I like being alone." She concluded. Sokka stepped forward and unlocked her door for her. As the two entered her bedroom, Sokka took post on her easy-chair and Toph flopped down on her bed.

"But Toph, you aren't alone. You and I still travel together. You have me." He said quietly. Toph stiffened at his words and sat back up.

"Sokka, I don't _have _you. Suki _has _you." she replied, her milky eyes filled with rage. "I think you should go."

Sokka stood up and sighed.

"Alright, let me know when you're done being mad at me." He said with a sad smile before leaving.

* * *

Toph held the scissors between her fingers and held her bangs flush against her nose. She held them steady and prepared to make the short cut from end to end. Just as she opened the scissors, her door banged open and she jerked, the cut winding up angled shortly on one end and long on the other.

"Damn it!" she cried, casting the scissors to the floor. Sokka stared at her and the hair on the floor, and then rushed to her side.

"Oh spirits Toph, I am so sorry. Did you get cut?" he asked, checking her face for any signs of damage. Toph wrenched away from his and did her best to glare at him. Unfortunately, her glare was centered on his chest, and he was not intimidated in the least.

"No, and I'm still mad. You can get out now." She said with annoyance coating her words. Sokka smiled and pulled the scissors from her hand.

"At least let me fix your bangs." He reasoned. Toph sighed and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Fine, then you go." She warned. Sokka nodded absentmindedly as he ran his fingers through her soft tendrils of hair. As he fingered her bangs, he made one strong snip, and then a few short ones.

Sokka stepped back to admire his work and Toph reached up to touch her bangs.

"Do you like it?" he asked expectantly.

"They don't cover my eyes." Toph said, her voice edged with panic. Sokka arched an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but it looks nice Toph, you can actually see your eyes." He protested.

"I can't _see _anything. And why on earth would I want someone to be able to see my eyes?" she demanded. She tugged furiously on her bangs as if she could stretch them back over her eyes.

Sokka stared at her in utter confusion and then smiled.

"People want to see your eyes because they're beautiful Toph, they're a part of you." he told her. Toph closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip. Sokka couldn't say things like that, not while he was with Suki.

"I wish they weren't." she said finally. Sokka opened his mouth to argue, but Toph put up a hand. "Why don't we go get something to eat?" she asked.

Though Sokka wanted to argue, he couldn't deny his growling stomach the sweet release of food.

* * *

"Katara, have you noticed that Toph has been acting…distant lately?" Sokka asked, his eyes clouded with worry. Katara looked up from the scroll Iroh had sent her and sighed.

"Yeah, but I just assumed you two had had another fight." Katara said. Sokka shook his head, then nodded, and then sat down beside her, jostling the romance scroll out of her lap. He swooped down and picked it up before speaking.

"We kind of did…I mean, I think we did. I don't know what set her off. It could have been me telling her that she had me or that her eyes were beautiful." He said, his mind drifting back to their fight. Katara slapped her forehead and took a deep breath.

"Sokka…you can NOT say those kinds of things to Toph. You give her mixed signals." Katara chastened. Sokka stared at her inquisitively.

"I don't understand…" he said carefully. Katara sighed and stood up. She knew it wasn't Sokka's fault that he was oblivious, but this had gone on for eight years. Enough was enough.

"You say that you love Suki, but you never see her, you live with Toph, travel with Toph, and you guys are so in sync that sometimes I don't know where she ends and you begin!" Katara snapped. Sokka was quiet as he considered her words.

"Are you saying that I love Toph?" he demanded, his eyes wide. Katara rolled her eyes.

"All I am saying is that if you love her, you should be with her, if not, you need to leave her alone." Katara clarified. Sokka sighed and took down his hair before running a hand through it.

"I guess you're right." He said finally, though what she was right about was unclear.

* * *

Toph tossed the last of her belongings into the small bag and dusted off her hands.

"Well," she said, turning to Katara. "That's everything. Wish me luck." She said, uncharacteristically cheerful. Katara had a strong sense that Toph was putting on a show, for her own sake more than anyone else's.

"Okay Toph…be safe and send me a hawk when you get there. Are you sure you don't want us to take you on Appa?" she asked. Toph shrugged and smiled again.

"Nope, I have to get used to not having a flying bison. Besides, it's not like Mr. Wonderful can't provide me with whatever I need." Toph stated.

Katara sighed. She was wary about Toph's plans to enter into an arranged marriage, but Toph was Toph, and no one could tell her anything.

"Just be safe Toph." Katara stated. Apparently, the guy came highly recommended.

Ever since Sokka had left a week ago to be with Suki, Toph had grown even more distant, and sprung the news on Katara and Aang one night.

"_Hey guys, I'm going to go back to Gaoling. I'm uh, I'm getting married." She stated, her eyes filled with an undeterminable emotion._

_Aang looked at Katara, who shrugged, and smiled._

"_That's…good? What's he like?" Aang asked, imagining someone they must have met along the way that Toph had harbored secret feelings for._

"_No clue." She responded, effectively crashing Aang's daydreams. Katara stiffened and closed her eyes._

"_Toph, why would you do that? You have a right to choose who _you _want to spend the rest of your life with." Katara protested. _

_Toph simply shrugged and that was that._

Toph climbed into the carriage after hugging Aang and Katara a final goodbye, and waited until the cart had gone a distance before allowing her tears to fall.

She may have been engaged, but aunt Wu was right…Toph would surely die alone.

* * *

Toph lounged in the garden of her childhood home and felt the sun beat down on her pale face. She knew that she would be sunburned in a matter of minutes and that her mother would bitch, but at that moment, she didn't care.

She could feel the warmth of Sokka around her, feel his fingers in her hair, smell his unique scent of water and meat, and she could almost imagine that he had not left without saying goodbye.

Toph hated herself for loving him; the man caused her nothing but pain, and yet, she tortured herself for eight years by staying around him. And now, that damn knucklehead was embedded into her being, and she would never be able to forget him.

Toph grunted and rolled onto her back. She was in a strapless yellow dress, and the sun beat angrily on her shoulders. Toph groaned as she recognized her mother's footsteps moving towards her.

"Toph dear, your betrothed just arrived. Please put a robe on and come to the dining hall." She pleaded, her voice uncharacteristically worried. She was probably scared Toph was going to miff things up.

Toph sighed and trudged after her, grabbing a silk robe and slipping it on before heading towards the dining hall.

As she walked into the dining hall, she immediately noted the scent of the ocean. Perhaps her future husband had traveled from afar to be with her.

Toph tamped down the hope that gnawed at her; she knew her destiny, and sadly, Sokka was not part of it.

"So," he father said purposefully. "Tell us about how you aided in defeating the Firelord."

Toph rolled her eyes; oh spirits, this guy had lied to her parents and claimed to help take down the Firelord.

"Actually, I helped keep the air fleet off of Avatar Aang's back so that he could defeat the Firelord." Toph's eyes widened. Holy Spirits! It was Sokka!

What on earth was he doing here?

"That sounds like an arduous task." He father commented. Sokka laughed softly.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have been able to do it if it weren't for your daughter." Sokka acknowledged. Toph dropped her spoon.

"What are you doing here Meathead? Where's Suki?" she demanded, her patience gone. This was one real sick joke if you asked her.

"Toph!" her mother chastened. "You should not speak to your future husband in such tones."

Toph stood up so quickly that her chair clambered to the ground.

"You, me, outside, now!" she said, her voice forced through her clenched teeth.

Sokka stood and followed her out to the garden.

"Look Toph, this isn't exactly how I wanted things to happen between you and me…" he trailed off as he noticed the tears in her eyes.

"Are you trying to prove a point Sokka? Are you trying to show me that my dreams can come true if I open my mind to the possibilities? Do you think this is funny?" she demanded, her chin quivering. Sokka opened his mouth but she pushed on. "Well I don't. I think it's sick. I didn't even want to enter an arranged marriage, but you just left, and I was alone. I didn't want to be alone Sokka. I wanted to have dreams too…but I couldn't, because all of my stupid dreams involved you!" she said, dropping to her knees as sobs overwhelmed her.

Sokka knelt beside her and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her up to face him.

"Toph, I came here and asked your parents for your hand because I love you and I want my dreams to come true. I dream of being with you Toph, for the rest of my life." He assured her. Toph closed her useless eyes and willed herself to wake up, in case she was dreaming. But Sokka's grip never faltered, and she found herself awake in the one dream she had always had.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Wow, so I forgot that I said this one was coming next and I had gotten pretty far on the next chapter when I remembered that I had. So, I abandoned that one and wrote this one, but I think it came out okay. Thank you all so much for reading, but I really have to beg. PLEASE REVIEW! I have so many reads on this story, but only 21 reviews. It makes me sad. Anyway, to my faithful reviewers, you guys are the best. Pure and simple; the best. Thanks again for reading! ~Kirsten


	15. Chapter 15: Badge

**Badge:**

**A/N: A little background information for you guys. Pretty much modern day in the sense of buildings, clothing, and some items. There is still bending, the Avatar, and the four nations. Ba Sing Se is the richest and most populated city. Toph had aided the gang, but was known as the Blind Bandit, only giving Sokka her name the night she left them. After the fall of Ozai, she disappeared, presumed dead by the gang, and returned to the life her parents wanted her to live. She serves as a role model for her parents' enterprise, making appearances in the name of good publicity. All the girls want to be her, but she just wants to be the Blind Bandit again. Onward!**

Her memories lay scattered around her like a child's forgotten dress up clothes, left lying in the land of pretend. In the end, that's all her memories were. She dressed up like a warrior and pretended to be a hero. And in the end, she could never be the Blind Bandit or the Runaway or even the Avatar's sifu because they would have stood up for what they believed in. Toph was standing for nothing; she was simply making her parent's proud by being the perfect heiress who inspired all by the way she handled her disability.

But Toph was haunted by the memories of the young warrior that she had fallen in love with. She could have easily pictured herself growing old with him, but he never saw her that way, and she couldn't even bring herself to say goodbye to him.

The young man had left an imprint on her heart and mind, which is why, despite her reservations and doubts, she invited the old group to her eighteenth birthday celebration.

Toph rubbed the black kohl over her eyelids and rubbed her finger over them, smudging them in a way that was fashionable, and sighed.

Tonight was all about keeping up images. She was in a floor length emerald gown that was strapless and tight until it flared out at the bottom. She wore gold slippers and a simple gold chain. Her hair was up in an elegant twist, and her lips were glossed to perfection.

Perfection.

Toph had been smothered by her parents her entire life except for those few brief months spent traveling with the group in which she was able to be a hero. But how great could she be if she had let herself fade away to become this person that she was not?

* * *

Katara adjusted her cobalt gown self-consciously and then touched the intricate twist Ty Lee had adorned her head with for the fifth time since entering the ballroom.

"I keep feeling like this invitation was an accident." Katara whispered to her husband. "Are you sure this isn't Avatar business?"

Aang, who was dressed in his mandatory Avatar robes, smiled sweetly at his wife.

"I don't honestly think that Sokka would have been invited if it were. Besides, Zuko and Mai are here." He joked. As if on cue, Sokka adjusted his red tie and glanced at his feet.

"Can you believe that bouncer gave me crap for my shoes?" he asked, reaching up to grab a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

"Converse aren't exactly party attire," Katara lectured. Aang snickered as Sokka downed his glass.

"They were fine for the Avatar's wedding." He countered with a sly smile.

"That's because he was marrying your sister." A deep voice declared. The three turned around and got their first look of Zuko's attire.

He wore a black button-down shirt with black pants and shoes, and a white tie. Mai was wearing a deep-red gown coupled with black stiletto pumps and a plunging neckline.

Sokka glanced at his white button-down and rolled his eyes.

"Why do you always wear the direct opposite color shirt that I do?" he demanded. Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and Mai smirked.

"I'll go grab some drinks so we can deal with Sokka tonight." She said evenly, though the smile indicated she was kidding, and disappeared into the fray.

Sokka was already turning though, his eyes surveying the crowd out of habit, searching for the eyes he would spend the rest of his life searching for.

His girlfriend Suki had left him because of his fixation. But that woman, the Blind Bandit, Toph…she was everything that he wanted in a woman, in a lover, in a wife. She was his other half, even if she didn't know it yet.

Any time he thought of the girl he had traveled with as a teenager, her milky green eyes came to mind. The girl was blind, though it never hindered her abilities. When they fought together, it was almost as if they were dancing, swirling in time and untouchable.

Katara nudged Aang and nodded towards the center stage. Mr. Bei Fong, head of Bei Fong enterprises-a company that produced everything from tea to swords-was standing at the microphone, a glass in hand, and a rare smile on his face. As soon as everyone had a glass in hand, he began speaking.

"Honored guests, I hope that you are all enjoying the festivities. As you know, we are gathered here to celebrate my daughter Toph's eighteenth birthday," He began. He paused as people began to cheer, and Katara shot a desperate look at her brother.

Sokka's face had paled and he was glancing around the room wildly. Katara leaned in close.

"Sokka, there's no way that it's the same girl," she whispered. Sokka shook his head adamantly.

"She would be about eighteen Katara." He reasoned. Mr. Bei Fong smiled as the noise died down.

"I know that Toph should be the guest of honor, after all, it is her birthday," he paused again while everyone laughed politely. "But Toph has fallen ill, and will be unable to join in the festivities. She has asked that I pass on her thanks for your arrival and her deepest regrets that she was unable to make an appearance. She hopes that you enjoy yourselves. Please, let the music continue." Mr. Bei Fong stepped away from the microphone and Katara glanced at her brother again.

At twenty two, Sokka had only grown more stubborn than he had been as a teen. And the look on his face was proof to Katara that he was about to show it.

"I'm going to go talk to her." He said suddenly.

"How are you even going to find her?" Zuko asked, having beat Katara to the chase. Sokka glanced at the glass in his hand and downed it. He stared at the empty glass for a moment before smashing it onto his arm.

He pretended to stand up as blood began rushing to the surface of his arm. A few of the waiters stopped and moved closer to Sokka.

"Are you alright sir?" one asked. Sokka clapped a hand over his wounds and tears welled in his eyes.

"I'm in so much pain. I can't believe that someone spilled water on the floor and didn't clean it up." He whined. Katara and Zuko exchanged a glance while Mai restrained Aang from stepping in and spilling the truth.

Two of the waiters argued in low tones over whose area it was, and then turned back to Sokka.

"Is there anything we can do to help accommodate you sir?" the other one asked. Sokka glanced at the white towel in the man's apron, grabbed it, applied pressure and sucked up his tears.

"I would like to meet the owner's daughter." He said slowly. "But I know that's out of your range of power." He continued, baiting the waiters. The two men mulled it over for a minute and then nodded.

"Follow me." The first one instructed.

As the two faded into the crowd, Katara stared at Zuko, her mouth agape.

"Oh that boy deserves a badge for that one." She said with a slow smile.

"I just hope this is her." Zuko said soberly.

* * *

Toph bit down on a pillow and resisted the urge to scream.

Her damn father had interfered again. He found out that she had invited the old group, and he forbid her to go to her own birthday party.

Toph hated her father and she hated this life. People saw this perfect woman, and that wasn't Toph. Toph was messy and brash and an amazing fighter. She wasn't this fragile little blind creature.

She could see with her Earthbending if the people around her would just let her.

A knock on the door interrupted Toph's thoughts.

"Who is it?" she demanded, not even bothering to be polite. She was too pissed at her father right now to keep up appearances.

The door creaked open and a pair of hauntingly familiar footsteps sounded in her head. Toph turned towards the intruder, and closed her eyes.

"I don't know who you are, but I didn't give you permission to be in here. If you're thinking about kidnapping me and holding me for ransom, I am so not in the mood for it." She stated. Toph kept her eyes closed; she had gotten so used to wearing sunglasses to shield her wretched eyes from the public-daddy's wishes of course-that she couldn't bear the thought of someone seeing them now. Besides, she had only ever wanted one man to truly look into them and find her soul. But something told her…something told her she needed to open her eyes.

"I think we know each other." The man replied, and Toph's blood ran cold.

It had gotten deeper, but Toph still knew that voice. It was him, the man she loved.

"Sokka," she whispered, and then she opened her eyes and stared at him.

Sokka stared at the beauty before him, shocked that she was the brash girl that had helped him destroy Ozai's air fleet.

"Toph, you remember me?" he asked quietly. Toph nodded slowly and sat back down, her eyes trained on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I remember you." her voice hinted at something more, something that she was holding back.

"Wow, you've really changed." He stated for lack of anything better to say. If Toph was anything like she had been as a child, she would not enjoy Sokka telling her he loved her out of the blue.

"I was always this way, I was just playing dress up." She whispered more to herself than to Sokka. Sokka arched an eyebrow.

"Dress up?" he asked. Toph shook her head slowly.

"Never mind, look, I'm not the girl you remember, I'm not allowed to be. I appreciate you coming, but I think you should go." She said softly, her empty gaze dropping to the plush carpet.

"But Toph, I haven't seen you in six years, we have so much to talk about." He began, but Toph held up a hand.

"The girl you knew is gone Sokka, and I have nothing to say to you. Please just go, or I'll have to call security." She said.

Sokka stared down at his bloody arm and sighed. How long had he searched for her? Now, here she was, but here she wasn't.

"I'll be in Ba Sing Se for a couple more days if you change your mind. I'm staying in a bedroom above the Jasmine Dragon." He informed her before leaving.

As the door closed behind him, Toph bit down on her finger to keep her sobs from being audible.

* * *

Katara met Sokka back at their bedroom above the Jasmine Dragon.

"Sokka, let me see your arm, I need to fix it." She commanded, already guiding her healing abilities into the stream of water on her hands.

After a moment of silence, Aang asked the question that the group had been betting on all night.

"So, was it her?" he asked gently. Sokka looked up, his eyes pained, and slowly shook his head.

"No, it wasn't."

* * *

Toph sat in a high-backed chair signing autographs for children. She was about to die of boredom when a conversation caught her attention.

Three small girls were sitting behind her, two of which had just gotten her autograph.

"I don't understand why you didn't get one," one of the girls said a little too loudly.

"Yeah," the second chimed in. "Ms. Bei Fong is like, the most popular girl alive." Toph rolled her eyes, but the third girl's soft voice reached her ears.

"I just don't like her okay." The girl was defiant in an endearing way, unwilling to go along with her friends just because something was cool.

"Why not, she's like, everybody's hero." The second demanded. Judging by the way her voice carried, the girl probably had her hand on her hip.

"Because the Blind Bandit is my hero." The girl replied steadily, as if it made more sense.

"Yeah, but she's blind too. And she smells better." The first girl challenged. By this point, Toph had stopped signing, completely engrossed in the conversation.

"It's not about what someone looks like or smells like, it's about what they do to protect the people they love." She stated with somber confidence.

Toph shoved herself out of the chair and took off towards the Jasmine Dragon, kicking her shoes off as she went.

* * *

Sokka tossed his duffel bag into Appa's saddle, his eyes downcast, and hugged Iroh.

"Thanks for letting us stay, we had a great time." He told the older man. Iroh laughed and leaned on his cane.

"Ah, it was truly my pleasure. You all be safe and take care. I'll send some tea in a few weeks." He replied. Katara and Aang said their goodbyes, and turned to Sokka.

"You ready to go home?" Katara asked. Sokka was about to nod when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He spun around and Katara leaned over to see around her brother.

Toph Bei Fong was hunched over, her hair falling out of its high ponytail, bangs falling into her sunglass-covered eyes; sweat was forming on the underarms of her dark green tank top, and the bottom of her designer jeans were fraying and dusty.

"Do you," she began before gulping down a breath of air. "Have room," she paused again as she sucked down some more before straightening and pushing her glasses up onto the top of her head. "For one more?" she asked, her eyes meeting Sokka's.

He glanced back at Katara and Aang, who gave their nods of approval, and then smiled at Toph.

"That depends on who you are I suppose." He replied. Toph smiled and put both hands on her hips.

"I'm Toph Bei Fong, the greatest Earthbender in the world."

**

* * *

**

A/N: Okay guys, two pieces of info. First is that I lost my list of words, and I remember two: Killed and Graveyard. I need four or five more words please, and I am asking you guys to tell me what you want. I thank you in advance and will mention you in the title for the word. Okay, moving on. Second piece is that my sister-in-law is in the hospital, and I spent all day driving back and forth to see her. The only reason this got posted is that it was already written. So it may be a few days before I get anything up again. Okay, thank you all for reading and please review. Thanks again to all of my reviewers, I write for you guys. ~Kirsten


	16. Chapter 16: Riveted

**Riveted:**

Toph bit her bottom lip as her father closed his eyes.

"Toph, we have been over this a thousand times. My mind is made. I will allow you to choose which of the suitors you wish to marry, but that is the most that I will do. It is customary for a young woman such as yourself to have their husband chosen for them, at least I am letting you choose." Her father reasoned. Toph took a deep breath and struggled to keep her tears in check.

The last three and a half years had been wonderful. She had traveled with Sokka—albeit with Suki in tow—all over the world, and they had become as close as lovers were…just…minus the love aspect. Toph loved Sokka with all of her heart, and Sokka, well… he was still as oblivious as ever.

Then, a couple months ago, she had received word that her father was ill and needed her by his side. It had been a trick to get Toph to come home, and once she had arrived, with Sokka at her side, her father dropped the news on her; he would begin allowing men to ask for her hand, and on her sixteenth birthday, Toph would be wed.

At first, Toph had tried to run away. Sokka had drug her back home, at which point she sent him away, and her father had made a deal with her; she could choose her husband from the men who asked for her hand. At first Toph was confident that she could talk her father out of it, but now…well, it was the night before her birthday, and he wasn't giving in.

"Yes father," she replied, her head dipping in shame. There had to be a way out of this…maybe Aang could lie and say there was some new law against it. But Aang would never lie…

Maybe it was time to see the plan-guy.

* * *

Sokka looked up from his Lotus tile and smiled.

"I honestly don't know what you can do. But hey, look at it this way, at least he'll be loaded." Sokka said.

Toph stamped her foot and Aang and Katara looked up; this was about to get heated.

"I don't give a shit if he has money! Why would I want to marry someone that I don't love?" she demanded, grabbing the tile from his hand and tossing it under the couch. Sokka stood up and glared at her. He loomed over her by a good five inches.

"You know what Toph, you should consider yourself pretty damn lucky that your father is paying someone to marry you, otherwise you would be alone your whole damn life!" he exclaimed, his eyes narrowing. Katara stood up, ready to come to Toph's defense, but a small sniffling stopped her.

Sokka's face softened as he saw the tears gathering in Toph's eyes.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She whispered before fleeing from the inn.

Katara glared at her brother as she looked around for her coat.

"You better fix this Sokka and you better fix it quick." She stated before running after Toph.

**

* * *

**

The Next Night

Toph sighed as Katara twisted her long hair into a bun, and pinned it in place. She ran a stick of kohl over Toph's eyes and smiled.

"You look amazing Toph." Katara complimented. Toph forced a smile and tugged on her sea-foam colored kimono.

"Thanks, you smell great." Toph replied. Katara laughed and adjusted her red kimono.

"Toph," she said, suddenly sobered. "Who did you end up choosing? The Firenation soldier, the Earth Kingdom prince, or one of the many warriors and soldiers from all over?" Katara asked, genuinely concerned for her friend.

When Katara had caught up to Toph, she had wiped away her tears and demanded Katara tell her why the man she was in love with was such an ass. When Katara told Toph that her brother was oblivious, Toph sighed and they didn't talk about it again.

Toph's head jerked at Katara's words, and she slipped on her silver sandals.

"I told my father that his decision was the only one that mattered to me." Toph replied. Katara's jaw dropped open and she sighed.

"Toph, why would you do that? This is a man that you're going to be with for the rest of your life! You should have some say in the matter." Katara argued, though the wedding would begin in minutes and it was pretty much hopeless.

Toph closed her eyes and bit her lip.

"It doesn't matter who I marry, because they will never be Sokka." She stated before standing; the time had come.

* * *

Sokka shifted nervously from foot to foot. Toph had not spoken to him since their argument, and he felt horrible.

So he put a plan into action, hoping to save Toph from marrying some guy that she didn't care about. It was clear that she was in love with someone, and he would be damned before he let her lose them.

Sokka adjusted his navy robes as Toph and Katara made their way towards the front of the room. As Toph stopped in front of him, he smiled at his sister, who looked as though she was about to kill him.

Toph's father stood before his daughter and smiled at the mid-sized crowd.

"Thank you all for coming; it is an honor to see so many friendly faces, from all of the nations. We are here not only to celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday, but to join her with a husband." Toph's father paused and smiled affectionately at Toph.

Toph appeared to raise her hand to, presumably, give him the middle finger, but Katara wrapped her hand around Toph's.

"Quite a few kind and worthy men asked me for my daughter's hand, and though it was hard at first, one man stood above the rest. As soon as he asked for my daughter's hand, I knew that he was the perfect match for my daughter. So, it is with great honor that I introduce the newest addition to my family," he paused and Katara glanced around the room. Her jaw dropped when Sokka stood up. "Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe." He called out, his voice filled with pride.

Sokka made his way to the front of the room as Toph turned to Katara, her face a mask of horror.

Aang, on the other hand, looked genuinely riveted. He seemed enthralled at the prospect of what could happen. Would Toph make a scene? Would she accept the proposal or run?

In the end, Toph said nothing as her hand was symbolically bound to Sokka, and said nothing as he led her up to her bedroom to "consummate" the marriage.

It wasn't until they were both sitting on her bed that she blew.

"I cannot believe you! How on earth do you think that this is going to solve my problems?" she screamed. Sokka stared at Toph blankly; why was she angry with him? He had just saved her from a lifetime with a stranger.

"Toph, what is your deal? I just sealed your freedom." Sokka shot back, moving away from her fractionally. Toph huffed and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"How do you figure? Did you even stop to think about your _girlfriend_?" she spat. Sokka stared at his hands and his silence confirmed Toph's suspicions. "Oh my…this is not happening." She muttered. She rounded in on Sokka, her thin finger jabbing his chest. "What are we supposed to do now?" she demanded.

Sokka continued to stare at his hands.

"Suki will understand. You can find someone and I will still have her. Everything can stay the same." He said after a long silence. Toph rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Do you honestly think that Suki is going to be okay with that, because I sure wouldn't?" Toph questioned. Sokka closed his eyes as if it would drown out her words.

"I thought you were in love with someone!" he proclaimed, his eyes narrowing as he took the heat off of himself.

Maybe it was her temper, or maybe it was something primal, something that screamed to be heard, but no matter the reason, something inside Toph snapped.

"I'm in love with you bonehead!" she screamed before stomping off and locking herself in her bathroom.

* * *

Sokka stared at the place Toph had sat in for a long time before standing up and leaving her bedroom. He walked to the inn where Katara and Aang were staying, in need of his sister's advice, and knocked on the door.

As Katara opened the door, she immediately realized something was wrong.

"Why didn't you tell me that Toph was in love with me?" He demanded, his blue eyes cold. Katara stared at her brother for a moment before ushering him inside.

"Sokka," she said as they sat down on the couch. Aang peeked around the corner of the kitchenette, clearly riveted again, and watched. "I had no right to tell you what she didn't want you to know. Besides, I had no idea that you were going to ask her father to marry her. What about Suki?" she demanded.

Sokka sighed at the recurring theme.

"Look, I know that I jumped into this, but that doesn't…I was just trying to help her. Oh spirits, what am I going to do? Suki wanted us to get married. How am I supposed to do that now?" he asked. Katara stared at her brother and sighed.

"Sokka, you can't. If you break off your marriage with Toph, how do you think her family is going to treat her then? You're just going to have to tell Suki the truth. Tell her that you and Toph got married on accident, and that you can't just abandon her. If Suki doesn't like it, then that's too damn bad. On that subject, you can't go fooling around with Suki either, because that isn't fair to Toph." Katara told him calmly.

"But what about me, am I supposed to just forget Suki and make this marriage work?" he asked, clearly feeling as though the universe was mocking him again.

"Yeah, you are." Katara replied, her eyes narrowing on him. "You made a commitment to Toph and you need to follow through. I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but Toph is really beautiful and she's a good person. You could have done a lot worse for yourself." Katara reasoned. Sokka sighed and stood up.

"I'm going to go have a drink, and then I'm taking Appa to Kyoshi Island. It's only a few hours on Appa, so I'll be home by the time Toph gets up." He stated before leaving. Katara stared at the door for a moment before speaking.

"I know you were eavesdropping Aang." She said quietly. Aang jerked and hung his head in shame, coming to stand behind his wife.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you never saw anything like this with the monks, so…it's kind of fascinating." He confessed. Katara rolled her eyes and smiled.

* * *

Suki glanced up from her small desk just in time to see Appa touching down. That was strange; wasn't the gang supposed to be at Toph's birthday-wedding thing?

Suki stood up as Sokka dismounted Appa and headed towards her.

"Hey," she said when he reached her. They embraced, but Sokka quickly pulled away. "Why aren't you at Toph's wedding?" she asked.

Sokka took a seat next to her desk and motioned for her to do the same.

"Suki, I don't even know where to start." He began. A sinking feeling crept over Suki, but she struggled to remain calm.

"Just start wherever you need to. I'll hear you out Sokka." She assured him. Sokka took a deep breath, one that carried the weight of his burden, and closed his eyes.

"I love you Suki, and I want to marry you—" he began, and Suki jumped up.

"Sokka, that's wonderful!" she cheered.

"But I married Toph." He finished, his words meshing with hers. Suki mentally separated their words and froze.

"What?" she demanded, her voice a mix of disbelief and anger. Sokka took a deep breath again and sighed.

"Suki, Toph was so scared about getting married because she was in love with someone else and…" he trailed off as Suki stood.

"Oh bison-shit! I always knew that you had a thing for her. What kind of man dates a girl and then marries someone else out of the blue?" she accused, her eyes filled with anger.

"What, I don't have a thing for Toph!" Sokka countered, his mind racing. Suki laughed sarcastically and shook her head.

"Yeah, okay. Whatever you say Sokka, it doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" she asked, though it was clear that things were over between them. Sokka dropped his eyes and stood up.

"No, I guess it doesn't." he replied before retreating to Appa.

* * *

Sokka closed his eyes and rubbed Appa's fuzzy head.

How could Suki possibly think that he had done this out of love for Toph? Maybe a familial love but…but…would he have married Katara if the situation were on Katara and not Toph? No, he would never marry his sister, maybe bash all the suitors' heads in, but he wouldn't marry his sister. That was just creepy.

So why had he married Toph?

Sokka rubbed his temples as the thoughts plagued him, demons in his head, and prayed to Yue.

"What am I supposed to do?" he called to her, feeling the soft glow of warmth she bestowed upon him.

Was it possible that he loved Toph in a different way than he let on?

Katara had a point; Toph was beautiful and they knew each other at their best and worst. It wasn't as though they had anything to hide like some relationships.

And as far as relationships went, they had already started a pretty good one. They could tell each other anything, they could joke around, they could be serious, and they could just be themselves with each other.

Sokka bolted upright as realization struck him with the force of a boulder.

He _was _in love with Toph.

* * *

Toph paced the floor of the inn, her milky eyes filled with the utmost rage. How dare Sokka leave during a fight and then not come home? Sure, they weren't married for real…well, technically they were, but not acting like it, but he was supposed to come home damn it!

Katara watched Toph and sighed; she had long since given up on trying to comfort or calm the Earthbender. Toph was pissed, and there was no getting around it.

Suddenly the door flew open, and Toph's head jerked towards the figure standing in front of it.

"You inconsiderate asshole, do you have any idea how worried I was?" she demanded, though she hadn't meant to divulge that she was worried.

Sokka held up his hands in surrender and motioned for his sister and Aang to leave the room.

"Listen Toph," he said once they were alone. "I'm sorry that I scared you, but there was something that I had to do." He informed her.

Toph blew her long bangs out of her eyes and scoffed.

"Oh yeah, what was that? Was there a hippo-cow that needed eating? Or some sake that needed drinking?" she asked, her voice dripping with bitterness.

"No, I needed to make this official." He stated, holding out a necklace to Toph.

Toph's small hand wrapped around it, her eyes widening, and her fingers roved over the contours of the carved circle.

It was definitely unique.

Engraved in the necklace—a silver rock that Toph would never see—was a badger-mole.

**

* * *

**

A/N: My sister-in-law is out of the hospital—all is well—so I am resuming writing. I don't know how often I will update after tomorrow—duty calls—but I can say that I plan on turning Darkness into a story. Okay, um…the usual. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Keep reviewing. Yada…Kirsten


	17. Chapter 17: Crap

**Crap:**

**This word was given to me by a friend of mine. Thanks Dustin.**

It was amazing just how much crap he had acquired in the six years since the war had ended.

And though Toph had not been present for the majority of the purchases—she was negotiating with her parents in regards to living and traveling with just Sokka—but now, sensing the junk that cluttered the small room in his small house that was supposed to be hers, it was nearly overwhelming.

"I thought you said you had a room for me." She said slowly, her eyes narrowing in distrust. If he had given her _real _room to that conniving Suki…Toph would have to tear him a new one.

"This is your room. I was just using it until you got back. I figured that you would be home a lot sooner, and well, things sort of piled up." He replied, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Toph groaned inwardly. "How on earth did you manage to get this much crap crammed into one room?" she demanded. "I wasn't gone that damn long." She continued.

Sokka glanced at Toph, observing again that she had matured greatly in the time that she had been gone. At eighteen, Toph had really filled out. She had traded her old puffy things for a simple gold headband that was about an inch thick. She also wore her long hair down these days, and it looked as though she had discovered what a brush was for. By the look of it, Toph had also embraced her feminine side.

"Six years is a long time Toph." He said softly. Toph turned her head towards him, her green kimono grazing the wooden floor of the bedroom.

Though Toph could not 'see' Sokka, she knew from hugging him that he had gotten even more muscular, and his voice had deepened. His hair was longer, and he was still taller than her, despite her four inch growth spurt.

"I'm sorry, my parents wanted me to wait until I was an adult to go out on my own. Besides, it looks like you kept busy." She said, gesturing again to the large pile of junk.

The two had kept in touch, and Toph had cried for Sokka when Suki left him for another man. Sokka had laughed about Toph's strange ways of getting out of meeting with potential husbands. If nothing else, the distance had brought them closer together.

Sokka sighed and rubbed the small goatee he had grown.

"I guess we should get started. How do you want to do this?" he asked, glancing around the small room. Toph arched an eyebrow and smiled wickedly.

"I'll take top." She replied. Sokka blanched as he realized the implication of her words. Toph laughed having elicited the reaction she wanted. "All I am saying, pervert, is that I am a lot lighter and have more balance, so I should get the crap that's on shelves and whatnot."

Embarrassed and hoping to recover, Sokka smirked.

"Are you sure you can even reach? You're still shorter than…" he trailed off as Toph bent a column of rock into makeshift scaffolding. Sokka glanced around the room, trying to figure out where the rock had come from.

Toph must have picked up on his confusion, because she smiled.

"Did you know that space-rock-bracelet expands to large quantities?" she asked with a hint of smugness. Sokka rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe you still have that thing." He confessed, his eyes traveling to the bare spot on her shoulder where the bracelet had been.

"Why wouldn't I keep it?" she challenged, making a grab for a box of scrolls. Unfortunately, because of the wood shelving, she couldn't see the plethora of bags that were sitting atop it.

The whole pile came tumbling down on Toph, knocking her backwards off of the scaffolding, and into Sokka's arms.

"I got you!" he assured her before setting her back on the floor.

Toph swept a layer of dust off of herself and rolled her eyes.

"Magnificent. What's with all of the purses?" she demanded. Sokka glared at her defiantly.

"They aren't purses, they are bags, and one can never have too many." He defended. Toph chuckled and picked up three of what could have been a good seventy and smiled.

"Sokka, I may be blind, but I honestly don't see a difference here." She quipped. Sokka sighed and snatched one out of her hand.

"I got this one in Gaoling right before we met you." he informed her, stroking the weathered material fondly. Toph felt her cheeks heat up and she turned away from him quickly.

"Right…well…regardless, I think we need to downsize your collection." Toph began. Slowly a smile encased her features as she recovered. "You know, my mom has a purse for each of the seasons…maybe that would work for you." she said with an easy smile. Sokka groaned and slapped his forehead.

"Fine, whatever you say Toph." He amended, not wanting to start out arguing so early after they had finally reunited.

"How about this…for each purse you decide to keep you have to tell me the story about how you got it and why you chose to keep it. That way I don't get bored and you get to decide if something is really important and worth keeping." Toph reasoned. Sokka considered her words for a moment and then nodded.

"Yeah, we can do that." He told her.

* * *

"So this one came from the Firenation," Sokka began. He closed his eyes as he thought about the purchase.

_Sokka nudged Suki and gestured towards the bag sitting separate from the rest at one of the stalls along Ember Island's coast._

"_Hey, look at that bag. Doesn't it look durable? And can you imagine how much stuff I could cram in it?" he asked her. Suki rolled her eyes and laughed._

"_Would you be getting it for yourself or for me? I mean, it is a purse." She asked. Sokka rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to stamp his foot._

"_It is _not _a purse. This is a bag, but if you want it, then I would gladly buy it for you." he guaranteed her. Suki nodded enthusiastically and Sokka walked towards the vendor._

"_How can I help you today?" the older man asked. Sokka smiled and pointed at the bag._

"_I was hoping to buy this for my girlfriend. How much is it?" Sokka asked. The vendor glanced at the bag uneasily and then at Sokka's clothing._

"_Sir, I'm not sure if that is…well…I don't mean to sound judgmental, but that's real gold embroidered into the fabric, and it is a rather expensive piece." The vendor began. Sokka glanced at Suki, realizing what the vendor was implying. _

"_Do you have any idea who he is?" Suki demanded. Sokka stared at Suki, unsure of what she was going to spout off with, and turned back to the vendor._

"_Um, no miss, I don't…um…should I?" he asked. Suki drew herself up to her full height and glared._

"_This is the Avatar! He just saved our world from destruction and you have the nerve to call him poor?" Suki spat, her eyes vicious. Sokka had to fight to keep his jaw from dropping._

_The vendor's eyes widened and he began to sputter. _

"_But, the Avatar is bald and has tattoos." The vendor protested. Suki rolled her eyes and pointed to Sokka's Firenation clothing._

"_How do you think he infiltrated the Firenation? He's in disguise you pompous-" Suki began, but the vendor quickly shoved the bag towards Sokka._

"_Please, I am so sorry, accept this as a gift." The man begged. Sokka glanced at Suki who snatched up the bag, and then bowed to the vendor._

"_Thank you sir." Sokka said._

"So, that was how I ended up with this one." Sokka finished weakly, noticing Toph's lack of laughter. Theft was something she usually laughed at.

Toph closed her eyes and tamped down the feel of sickness in her stomach. She hated Suki.

"Why do you have it if it was meant for Suki?" Toph questioned. Sokka shrugged and then sighed.

"Well, when she…left, she left it behind." Sokka informed her. After a moment he smiled. "Hey, let's get rid of it." He said.

Toph glanced at him and rolled her eyes as a small smile came to her face.

"Alright…" she paused and glanced towards the open window. She spread her legs and bent into a basic stance, then flicked her wrists and summoned an earthen ditch in which to throw the crap they weren't keeping.

She flicked the bag deftly and it soared into the hole.

"You know, sometimes I wonder if you really are blind." Sokka stated. Toph rolled her eyes and waved a hand in front of her face.

"Trust me, I am." She replied before laughing.

The two went back to work, Toph singling out broken items and tossing them, and Sokka would pick up various items that he knew he could part with.

* * *

After a few hours, they were down to only a few piles of stuff.

The two had been joking around until Toph suddenly went silent, her back rigid.

Sokka glanced at her and froze.

"What. Is. This?" Toph demanded, holding up a betrothal necklace. Sokka stared at it for a moment, memories flooding back to him, and hung his head in shame.

"I was going to ask Suki to marry me." He confessed. Toph stood up, her footsteps laden with anger as she moved closer to him, holding the necklace as though it was disgusting.

"I cannot believe you!" she shouted. Sokka winced as she flicked the necklace at him. "She cheated on you for four years and you were going to just marry her?" Distaste colored her words, and Sokka couldn't seem to find his.

Toph stomped out of the bedroom, and moments later, Sokka winced as the front door slammed shut.

After a moment of indecision, Sokka stood up and went after her, a small pile of purses/bags falling to his feet.

He found her not far from his home; she was sitting on the coast, water lapping at her naked feet.

"Toph," he began, but he stopped when she turned around and he noticed the look of utter pain on her face.

"Who was the one that kept warning you that something was wrong? Who was the one that kept begging you to break up with her before you made that mistake? Who was the one that was there to pick up the pieces of your broken heart? And what for? All I got was a room full of crap." Toph stated, her voice broken.

Sokka closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For six years he had bore the weight of this secret, but it was about time that he let Toph in.

"Toph, the first time you mentioned it to me, I didn't listen because I thought that you were jealous. I knew how you felt about me, and I thought that you were just trying to break us up." Sokka confessed. Toph's head jerked away from him, her shoulders tightening in defiance. And, as quickly as it had come, the fight went out of her and her shoulders slumped.

"You knew?" she whispered. Sokka sighed and sat down beside her.

"Yeah, I knew. Listen, about a week after you started telling me that something was wrong, I noticed that Suki had been leaving in the middle of the night. So I followed her. And she was with Shaw." Sokka admit. Toph glanced at him, her face beginning to distort with anger, but Sokka raised a hand. "Anyway, I wanted to give her time to come to her senses. I thought that maybe if I toughed it out, she would realize that what we had was special. But…it wasn't and she didn't. I proposed to her the day we broke up. I gave her the options, and in the end she chose him." Sokka confided. Toph sighed and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"Sokka, maybe me being here isn't a good idea." She stated. Sokka glanced at Toph and smiled, realizing that she had no clue where he was taking the conversation.

"Toph, I just told you that I knew you were in love with me. I'm okay with that, and it's why I asked you to come back." He informed her, not being entirely honest. Toph shook her head firmly.

"No, it's not a good idea. It was one thing when I thought you didn't know, but things would just be too weird if I stayed." She countered. Sokka smiled and brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Toph, I stayed with Suki as long as I did so that I could say, with a clean conscience, that I did everything I could to save the relationship and say that I wasn't leaving her for you. Suki and I weren't meant to be together, but I think that you and I are." He replied. Toph turned to Sokka, a blush gracing her features, and smiled hesitantly.

"Do you really mean that Sokka, that you want to be with me?" she asked.

Sokka nodded and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, I do." Sokka said before helping Toph to her feet. "And now that that's out of the way, we can leave all of my purses in that room and you can come to mine." Sokka said with a smile.

Toph arched an eyebrow. "You just called them purses." She stated.

"What? No I didn't!" Sokka protested. Toph rolled her eyes and took his hand as they walked back to the house.

"Whatever," she said. "You had this all planned out, didn't you?" she demanded.

"I am the plan guy." He replied. Toph shook her head.

"Leaving a betrothal necklace out isn't the best way to woo a girl." Toph warned him. Sokka smiled and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand.

"Yeah, well, I kind of forgot it was in there." He confessed.

The two laughed as they entered the house and headed back to the storage room.

Toph bent over and picked up the necklace and then handed it to Sokka.

"Here," she said softly. Sokka stared at it for a moment and then pulled his arm back, preparing to toss it. "Actually," Toph said, placing her hand on his arm and lowering it. "It makes a good conversation piece." Toph finished, a hesitant smile on her face.

Sokka smiled and kissed her forehead again.

"Thanks Toph." He said softly. Toph rolled her eyes, her tough demeanor popping back up.

"Yeah well, there's enough crap around here that most people probably won't even notice it." She reasoned.

Sokka smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"I love you Toph," he said.

"I love you too Snoozles." She replied.

* * *

**Two Months Later**

Aang turned to Sokka, a smile on his face.

"Hey Sokka, why is there a betrothal necklace on your mantle?" he asked.

Toph and Sokka smiled simultaneously, and Sokka leaned back, Toph's hand in his.

"You see, it's a funny story…" he began.

98798798

**A/N: Okay, working the night shift is really throwing off my schedule. But, here's another chapter. I hope you liked it. Tomboy, thank you so much for continuously reviewing! ~Kirsten**


	18. Chapter 18: Closer

**Closer:**

Sokka smiled as his sister set a plate of meat down in front of him.

"Thanks Katara, that smells so good." He complimented. Katara smiled and unclipped her hair.

"Well, there's no one that can make artic seal stew like a Southern Water Tribe woman." She countered, sitting down in front of her brother with a much smaller plate of meat.

As the two ate in silence, Sokka glanced up at the painting on her wall.

"You kept that?" he asked in amazement. Katara glanced behind her and nodded with a small blush.

"Yeah well, it's a nice picture, we're all in it." She replied with a laugh. Sokka glanced down at his plate, the feeling of hunger fading.

"I never did understand why she left us." He said sullenly. Katara looked up, her fork frozen halfway to her mouth.

"Sokka," she began, placing her fork on the edge of her plate. "I thought that we agreed we weren't going to talk about this." She cautioned. Sokka held his palms towards her and nodded.

"I know, I know. It's just hard not to think about her." He said slowly, knowing that the conversation was drawing to an end.

Katara sighed and looked around the room.

"Look, Aang won't be home for a couple hours…so if you really want to talk about her…" Katara began.

Sokka smiled and nodded.

"I would like that." He said.

* * *

_Toph smiled as she corrected Sokka's form._

"_You have to be rooted to the ground." She advised, her eyes lined perfectly with his for once. Sokka smiled and nodded, trying to be serious._

"_Right, okay, how's this?" he asked. Toph nodded her approval and smiled._

"_Yeah, that should keep you from getting knocked around as much when you fight." She assured him. Sokka smiled and stepped out of his stance, but Toph immediately shoved him onto the ground._

"_What was that for?" he demanded, standing and brushing the dust from his sleeveless tunic. Toph arched an eyebrow._

"_Sokka, you can never assume that a battle is over." She stated. Sokka smiled and shook his head._

"_Duly noted." He said before noticing Suki approaching them. While Sokka perked up, Toph visibly shrank._

_Suki walked towards Sokka, a smile on her face, and waved at the two._

"_Hey guys, are you done training?" she asked as she drew closer. Sokka nodded and hugged her when she moved beside him._

"_Yeah, Toph was teaching me how to apply a couple Earthbending stances to my fighting style. It's pretty neat actually." He told her. Suki glanced at Toph, a smile on her face._

"_Wow, that does sound neat." Suki gushed. Toph closed her eyes and nodded, and sighed._

"_I have a couple chores that I have to get done, so I'll see you guys later." She said, kicking at the floor before turning. Suki reached out and grabbed Toph's arm._

"_Actually, I have a couple things that I need to talk to you about. Both of you." she said. Toph turned around reluctantly and forced a smile._

"_Okay, but I have to go after this." She said quietly. Suki nodded quickly and smiled again._

"_I wanted you both to know that I am pregnant." She announced. Sokka's eyes lit up and he grabbed Suki gently and spun her around in the air._

"_I'm going to be a father!" he cheered. _

"_Yeah, you are." Suki agreed, her face a picture of happiness. Toph's eyes were guarded as she hugged the couple._

"_I'm happy for you guys." She said, though her eyes told the real story._

* * *

Sokka closed his eyes, biting down on his knuckle.

Katara reached over and set a hand on top of his.

"Sokka, are you alright?" she asked. Sokka nodded and closed his eyes.

"Yeah, it's just that…looking back, I think that Toph always knew." He confessed.

_

* * *

_

Toph sighed and kissed Suki on the cheek.

"_Thank you both for everything that you've done for me. I wish you guys the best of luck." She said, her voice soft and sad. Sokka pulled the younger woman into his arms and kissed the top of her head._

"_You take care of yourself Toph. You know that you're always welcome here." He promised, his eyes filling with tears._

_It was hard to imagine that in a few minutes his best friend would be gone from his life for an unforeseen amount of time. Sokka squeezed her tighter and bit down on his lip._

_If Toph could be strong about this then so could he._

"_I love you Snoozles, take care of yourself. You too Suki." She whispered before slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading for the door._

* * *

Sokka slammed his fist down on the table, causing the plates to bounce and his drink to tip over.

"I can't believe how stupid I was!" he exclaimed. "I realize…"

_Sokka stared at the midwife and smiled expectantly._

"_So, did we have a boy or a girl?" he asked. The old woman forced a smile and put a hand on her shoulder before indicating that he should go in._

_Sokka entered their bedroom and smiled at Suki. Something seemed off._

_As he moved closer, he realized just what was wrong._

_The baby was healthy, a beautiful little girl with bright green eyes. His eyes widened in horror as he backed away from the two._

"_Sokka, wait, I can explain." Suki began, her eyes filling with tears. Sokka closed his as he backed into the wall and slid down._

"_What's there to explain Suki? That isn't my child!" he accused, his eyes still wide with disbelief. Seven years. He had given this woman seven years of his life._

"_Sokka, it happened one time. I thought that it wouldn't matter. I know that she isn't yours, but you can still be her father." Suki protested. Sokka shook his head, tears streaming down his face._

"_No Suki, I can't. I can't be with her and I can't be with you." he stated, standing and fleeing the room._

_As he ran down the hall, Katara stared after him, confusion present in her blue eyes._

Katara nodded slowly.

"Yeah, I think she did too." She confessed. "I'm sorry that Suki betrayed you, but at least you aren't living a lie anymore." She added.

Sokka shook his head and closed his eyes.

"Spirits Katara, I've been living the biggest one ever." He said quietly.

_

* * *

_

Sokka knocked on Toph's bedroom door, his eyes swollen from crying. When she opened the door, her face twitched almost imperceptibly before her arms went around him.

"_I'm so sorry Sokka." She whispered, pulling him tight._

_After nearly a year apart, she still knew him better than anyone else._

_Later that night, the two sat outside, Sokka staring at stars, and Toph lying on his shoulder._

_Sokka reveled in her closeness, the feeling of comfort that her being there provided, and smiled for the first time in the month that it had taken him to travel to her._

_Toph was abnormally quiet, her milky eyes filled with sadness._

"_Sokka, you know that I meant what I said when I left right?" she said suddenly._

_Sokka sifted through his memories and smiled._

"_Yeah, I love you too Toph." He replied. She had been so good to him, and had always been there. How could he not love her?_

_Toph sighed almost inaudibly and nodded._

"_You're going back to Katara's for a while, right?" she asked. Sokka nodded and smiled._

"_Yeah, are you going to move back in with me? I'm thinking about going back home." He said. Toph forced a smile._

"_In that frozen shit-hole…yeah, I guess I could." She said with a laugh._

When Toph had laughed, Sokka had thought that everything was fine. His memories, something that he looked back on nearly every waking moment, reminded him that she wasn't happy when she said that. It reminded him that there were many times that Toph wasn't happy around him, and he was just too blind to see it.

All Toph had ever wanted was for the two of them to be closer, to be together as a couple. She didn't want to be his fallback, she wanted to be his everything.

In the end, Sokka had let her down.

"I let her down." He said at last, the weight of his shame falling onto the table, an ugly creature that no one wanted to address.

Katara closed her eyes as tears gathered in the corners of her vision.

"Sokka, you didn't let her down. Deep down she always knew how you felt." Katara reasoned. But Sokka shook his head.

"I should have figured it out sooner, I should have told her how much I needed her, how much I loved her." Sokka countered, his face contorted in pain.

He wouldn't cry, he couldn't; he had shed so many tears.

_Sokka stood at the edge of the now-grown tribe that he had grown up at. He stared out over the water, watching the ferry grow larger as it moved closer. In a matter of minutes, Toph would be stepping off of the ship and they would begin a new life together._

_In fact, Sokka intended to propose to her. _

_In the few months that he had been away from her, preparing a home for them, he had come to realize that Toph was his everything. She was the woman he wanted to wake up to, to grow old with, and to have a family, a family that was his, with. Toph was in love with him, that he was now certain of, and he loved her too._

_But when the ferry came, Toph was not on it, instead, it was Firelord Zuko that came off._

_Sokka's heart instantly plummeted. _

_Something was very wrong._

The tears that Sokka had thought he'd run out of began to fall, and his shoulders began to shake.

Katara stood and moved around the table. She pulled her brother into her arms.

"_Sokka," Zuko began. _

_Unwilling to hear his words, Sokka clamped his hands over his ears._

"_No," he whispered. Zuko grabbed Sokka's shoulder and steered him towards Sokka's hut, Sokka following blindly behind him._

_Zuko sat Sokka down on the couch and kneeled in front of him_

"_Sokka, I know that you don't want to hear this, but you need to know." Zuko said softly, his tawny eyes filled with pain._

"_No, I don't need to know. I don't want to." Sokka protested, his heart already broken. Something was wrong and Sokka knew it._

"_Toph…Toph…" Zuko began, his eyes filling with tears. He couldn't bear the weight of telling Sokka, but he had to. Sokka was his friend, and even more, Sokka was Toph's friend. "Toph was hurt badly about a month ago. She was injured during some stupid tournament."_

"_Earth Rumble." Sokka whispered, remembering Toph's last letter._

_Zuko nodded and continued. "She was convinced that nothing was wrong…but…I guess she was having trouble breathing. And last week, she went to sleep and didn't wake up." Zuko said, his tears falling freely._

_Sokka felt his eyes fill and his soul shatter. If Toph was dead, then he was dead. His heart may well have been beating, but it would never beat for her again, which to him, was as good as never having beat at all._

"I'm nothing without her." Sokka whispered. "All I ever wanted was Toph, and I was too stupid to realize it." He said.

Katara held her brother closer as he cried.

"Did you tell her?" she asked suddenly. Sokka looked up at her, his eyes filled with pain, and slowly shook his head.

"No, I never had the chance to. I was going to ask her to marry me." He told her. Katara shook her head slowly.

"You still have a chance Sokka, she's not gone yet." Katara told him.

Sokka shook his head.

"They told me that she would never wake up. You told me that. If you couldn't heal her, and Aang couldn't help her, then there's nothing that can save her." Sokka whispered. Katara closed her eyes.

"I know that Sokka. But that doesn't mean that you can't tell her that you love her." Katara countered.

Sokka stared at his sister and sighed.

"I suppose you're right."

* * *

Sokka entered Toph's bedroom quietly, the atmosphere thick with tension. The healers had told them a long time ago that Toph would likely never wake, that her lungs could barely support her, and that her mind probably left her a long time ago. Even if she woke, she would never be the same.

And yet, Sokka couldn't bring himself to allow the healers to let her sleep eternally.

Sokka sat down beside Toph and brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Toph, I know that you can't hear me, I know that you probably are sick of fighting, but I just needed you to know something. I love you so much Toph. You are the only woman that I could picture myself being with and being happy. I was going to ask you to marry me." He said, a laugh finding its way to his throat. The irony was sickening. All this time she had chased after him, and in the end, it was he who would spend the rest of his life regretting things.

Toph's eyelids fluttered and Sokka had to remind himself that it meant nothing, that she was only dreaming.

Sokka sighed and held her hand, laying his head on her shoulder like she had done for him so long ago.

"I love you Toph." He whispered.

When her hand came to his face, Sokka told himself that he was imagining things.

And when he looked up into her eyes, he tried to tell himself that she wouldn't remember him.

And when she pulled him closer and said that she loved him too, Sokka knew that his heart had begun to beat again.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Okay, I was originally going to kill Toph, but I figured that this could have a happy ending, despite my very depressed mood. Thank you all for reading and please review. By the way, Tomboy, I am definitely going to mention it again. Thank you so much! ~Kirsten


	19. Chapter 19: Killed

**Killed**

**This story works on the pretense that despite Nickelodeon's shielding, there was a lot of killing during the hundred-year war.**

Toph closed her eyes and fought to drive the images out of her mind. For a blind woman her dreams were incredibly vivid. The screams were real, the blood thick, the feel of her enemy's heartbeat ceasing. Her nightmares were real enough when she dreamed, enough so that this particular evening she found herself sitting under the light of a full moon.

Wordlessly, Sokka had joined her. Though he had heard the screams that plagued her sleep the past few weeks, he said nothing about it. He knew that even at eighteen, Toph was still an independent person. Sure she had grown up, in ways that Sokka shouldn't notice, but she still remained that same girl at heart.

But now, something had shifted almost imperceptibly and Toph was growing away from him. They used to be able to finish each other's thoughts, to fight with their moves in sync. They were friends, the closest of, and sometimes, Sokka thought they could be more.

It wasn't as though he was with Suki. Damn Haru and his damn Earthbending. Sokka shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Thinking about Suki again?" Toph asked, her soft voice startling him. Sokka chuckled and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess I was." He replied.

An awkward silence settled between them. Sokka shifted and Toph's body curled into his. It was a mutual understanding, something they could do without fear of judgment. It was one of the perks between them, but also one that led Sokka confused and wanting more.

"Do you ever think about the people you've killed during the war?" she asked suddenly.

Sokka turned his head to meet her milky eyes.

"Toph, is that what you've been dreaming about?" he asked. Toph shrugged and looked away from his gaze.

"I guess so. I mean, you guys can see it when you…you know, kill someone. But I can't. But I could feel the instant their heart stopped. Friends, foes, I could feel it all. It scares me sometimes. In an instant your whole world crumbles around you, and then you cease to exist. It's scary." She confessed. Sokka tilted his head and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"Toph…I know that the war was hard on you, it was hard on everyone. Believe me, I had one of the people I loved die in my arms. I know what you mean. I don't want to shift the importance of what you are saying, but you can't let it eat you away." He told her. Toph sighed and closed her eyes.

"Sokka…I know, and I am trying. It's just that…" she trailed off, her eyes closing, the moonlight illuminating her beauty. Sokka smiled and snapped his fingers.

"Do me a favor, wait here for a minute, okay?" he asked, jumping to his feet. Toph nodded skeptically and did as instructed.

Toph waited in silence until Sokka's heavy footfall reached her ears again.

"Alright Snoozles, what's that smell?" she demanded. Sokka smiled and set the baby moose-lion cub in her lap. Toph's eyes widened as her fingers slid through his fur.

"I thought he might cheer you up." Sokka said softly as he took his previous seat beside her. Sure enough, Toph's eyes had lit up and she was snuggling with the small beast. Sokka ran a hand alongside hers and closed his eyes.

"Sokka, why bring me a baby moose-lion?" She asked softly. "You could have borrowed Momo or something." Toph reasoned. They were both well aware that if the cub's parents should come along it would be one heck of a fight.

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Well, you see…I met one a long time ago. And it um…reminded me of…y…you should get some sleep." He said suddenly, his tone changing from nervousness to defeat. Sokka closed his eyes and helped her to her feet. Even after four years of traveling with Toph and knowing how he felt about her, Sokka still couldn't say it.

He was so scared that things would end up the way they had with Suki or worse…with Yue.

* * *

The next morning, Sokka woke later than usual, and found that Toph had made breakfast. He sat down across from her and chewed on a piece of hippo-cow sausage.

Toph was in a thin robe, the front hanging open precariously, and Sokka cleared his throat before speaking.

"Your um…your robe is a little loose." He said quietly. With Toph, she would often tease him relentlessly for such observations, and he usually wound up more flustered than he had started out.

But to Sokka's surprise, Toph simply tightened the belt at her waist and sipped her tea.

"Thanks." She whispered. Sokka stared at the dark circles under Toph's eyes and sighed.

"Maybe we should go visit Katara and Aang. Maybe Mai and Zuko will even stop by." Sokka pleaded, hoping her eyes would light up again.

But Toph just shrugged and nodded her agreement.

Sokka waited a beat for her to say something, to say anything…but she didn't.

* * *

Katara smiled brightly at her brother and Toph after she opened the door.

"It's so good to see you guys!" Katara exclaimed. She moved in for an awkward hug, Sokka attempting to dodge her swollen abdomen, and Katara attempting to also reach for Toph.

But Toph remained on the edge of the doorstep, her smile welded in place.

Katara glanced at Sokka for clarification, but he just shook his head as if to tell her not to ask.

It had been a long journey. Sure Aang and Katara only lived a weeks journey away, but Toph had been silent the entire trip. And since they were on foot, it extended a lot longer than that.

Sure Toph offered her Earthbending for assistance, but even she couldn't keep that up for a week straight.

As the three made their way to the couch, Sokka realized for the first time that Aang wasn't around.

"Where's Aang?" he asked. Katara's smile dropped fractionally and she rubbed her stomach.

"He's been meditating and consulting with the spirit world a lot lately. He feels like we've done something wrong." Katara said glumly.

Sokka opened his mouth to speak, but Toph laid a hand on Katara's shoulder.

"You've done nothing wrong Katara. So what if Aang was raised a monk? I was raised filthy rich, and look at me now, I live in a hut with Sokka." Toph said, her face breaking into a rare grin.

Katara giggled and nodded.

"I know, I know. I just wish that he wouldn't take this so hard. I mean, we are married." Katara agreed.

Toph shrugged and stood up.

"You guys will be fine. As soon as Aang sees that little baby, there won't be any doubt in his mind." Toph assured her. "Now," she continued. "I need to get some sleep. It's been a long trip."

"Me too." Sokka said as he stretched.

Katara's face changed marginally.

"Um, actually, I wanted to talk to you guys about that. I kind of only have one spare room, and I figure, what with you guys living together, that it would be okay for you to share. If that's weird I can just sleep with Toph and…" Katara began, but Toph interrupted.

"No, that wouldn't work. You're pregnant Katara, you need to be with your husband, Snoozles and I can handle it." She replied.

Sokka felt a blush creep up his neck and settle into his cheeks.

"Yeah, that's fine." Sokka said with a nod.

Katara gave Sokka a stern look before leading the two to their bedroom.

After they had both settled in—Sokka in a thin pair of silk pants, a gift from Toph, and Toph in a pale nightdress—Sokka turned to Toph.

"You didn't have to stay with me Toph, Aang and Katara would have been fine." His statement was more of a question.

Toph rolled over to face him, her milky eyes filling with tears.

"Think about it Sokka, Katara is pregnant. I've been having terrible nightmares…if I had kicked her or something and it hurt the baby…" Toph trailed off, unable to complete her thought. She took a deep breath and continued. "I feel bad enough letting you lay with me, but I thought you were the safest bet." Toph confided.

Sokka reached over and moved Toph's bangs out of her eyes in a loving gesture.

"I'll be fine Toph, just rest." He said softly, yet firmly.

_

* * *

_

It was always him.

_He dangled over the edge, and Toph's hand held him up. He was so heavy, and she was so weak._

_Jagged rocks waited beneath a horrifying drop, and there was no chance of survival._

_Toph could feel her grip slipping, and could feel Sokka's stare boring into her._

"_Toph," he whispered. Her name was enough to bring her to her knees._

_Toph held on as tight as she could, and she could still feel him slipping through her fingertips._

_And then he fell._

_Toph could hear the sickening crunch of his body as he collided with the jagged rocks._

* * *

Sokka jolted as he realized that Toph was whimpering. He turned to her, rubbing sleep from his eyes with one hand, and realized that his other hand was holding hers.

Sokka blushed as he stared down at her.

Her face was contorted into a strained look, as if she was trying with all of her might to keep something from happening.

Sokka noticed sweat beading on her forehead, and her bangs were clinging damply to her chin.

Was Toph…was Toph crying?

Sokka wondered if he should wake her.

Her body began to jerk as her hand slipped out of his.

Sokka had had enough.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead, pulling her body tight against his as he whispered her name.

"Toph, Toph please wake up." He begged.

Toph's eyes shot open, and she struggled against him for a moment before her arms went around him, locking him in place with a strength he had forgotten she possessed.

She sobbed as she held him, her body shaking against his, breaking his heart with each tear.

"I'm…" she began, but couldn't finish.

Sokka shook his head and held her tighter.

"It's alright Toph, it was just a dream. I'm here, I'm here." He soothed, finding his own eyes filled with tears.

Toph clung to him tighter as tears streamed down her cheeks and onto his bare chest.

"I was so scared." She said finally, her breathing slowing to normal proportions.

"Toph, what was your dream about?" he asked softly, wanting to help the woman he loved.

Loved…Sokka loved Toph.

"It was…Sozin's comet. We were on that air ship. And I couldn't hold on." She mumbled.

Sokka blanched as he realized that he was the cause of her pain; he had let her go, and if it hadn't been for Suki, she would have been dead.

"I'm so sorry Toph, I should have protected you better." He cried, his chin quivering.

Toph looked up at him, clearly confused.

"Sokka, in my dream, I…" she began, but Sokka interrupted her.

"I gave up Space Sword and Boomerang, and I thought that that would save you, but it didn't, and I wasn't strong enough. And that stupid cheating Suki saved you…it should have been me Toph. I should have saved you." Sokka said, his voice choking on his words.

Toph pulled away and tugged on Sokka's arm.

"Sokka, I dreamt that I couldn't hold _you._" she confided.

Sokka's face registered shock and then sadness.

"Toph," he said softly.

He leaned down and captured her lips, and they kissed for several moments before breaking away.

They smiled at each other, and then Sokka stood up, offering Toph his hand.

"Come on, I have an idea." He whispered.

* * *

Katara looked up as Toph and Sokka entered the kitchen from the front door.

She turned towards their bedroom, puzzled, and then back to them.

"Where were you guys?" she asked, hoping she didn't sound demanding.

Sokka smiled and held up their intertwined hands.

"Soul searching." He said calmly, and Toph smiled.

As Katara looked closer, she realized that there were tattoos on both of their wrists.

_Never Let Go_

**

* * *

**

A/N: Sorry this one took so long to get up, it's been hard trying to balance my daily chores, sleep schedule, and working the night shift. But, I think I'm starting to get the hang of it, so more soon. It's kind of sad to see this story coming to an end, but I already have two more planned out, and those will be up soon. Thank you all so much for reading and please, please, please review! ~Kirsten


	20. Chapter 20: Burned

**Burned:**

**Special thanks to Purple Fluff Bunny 7813 who provided this word!**

The first time she got burned, he carried her around and helped tend to her wounds.

The second time she got burned, he couldn't help but laugh.

**

* * *

**

Earlier that Week

Toph flopped onto the living room couch with a growl and blew her bangs out of her eyes.

Sokka turned to her, partially distracted with the plate of meat on his lap, and sighed.

"What did she say now?" he asked dejectedly.

Toph shifted her gaze to somewhat meet his, and growled again.

"That I can't get married until I learn how to cook a proper meal." She said angrily. Toph tossed her hands in the air as she grew more annoyed. "I mean, I am the world's greatest Earthbender. Who cares if I can cook for crying out loud?" she yelled.

Sokka glanced down at the take-out on his lap and then back at Toph.

"Well, some men do enjoy when a woman can cook." He said calmly.

Toph turned her body towards him slow enough for him to realize that she was beyond pissed.

"Okay, let's just look past the fact that I'm BLIND!" she screamed before standing.

She stood up and left the house, the door slamming behind her.

Sokka sighed as Katara poked her head out of her bedroom.

"You could have handled that better." She informed him.

"Yeah, rub it in why don't you." he replied bitterly.

Sokka stood up and left the house, presumably to find Toph.

* * *

Sokka found Toph sitting under a tree not far from the house they all shared.

"Toph," he whispered, hoping that she wasn't still upset. "I'm sorry. I should have realized that…" he began, but Toph turned towards him, tears in her eyes.

"You should have realized what Sokka? That cooking is one of the only things that Earthbending can't fix for me? That it's just a way to expose my weaknesses?" she demanded, her face contorted in pain.

Sokka grimaced and pulled Toph into his arms.

"Toph, you aren't weak. Look how far you've come." He insisted, his eyes pleading.

Toph shook her head, still protesting, but said nothing more on the subject.

* * *

Katara accosted Sokka as soon as he stepped in the front door.

"Sokka, I really think that you were insensitive earlier." She began.

Sokka raised a hand and rolled his eyes.

"Look, I already talked to Toph about it. She isn't mad at me, just the situation." He said stoically.

Katara shook her head and continued. "But Sokka, this is something that she needs support with. She's feeling incompetent, and you need to make sure that she _knows _that she isn't." Katara finished.

"And how do you suppose I do that? You want me to beat her mom up and tell her to quit being so old-fashioned?" he demanded, scratching his facial hair as if seriously contemplating beating up Poppy.

Katara smacked her forehead and then took a moment to calm herself before speaking.

"Sokka…she needs to be able to learn in the comfort of someone that she trusts. You need to teach her how to cook." Katara said, glaring pointedly at the seal-jerky in his hand.

"Now wait just a minute, just because I can make seal-jerky doesn't mean that I can cook." He protested, his hands flying to his face in horror.

Katara put a hand on her hip and deployed her 'mom-glare'.

"Sokka, who cooked the entire time I was on bed-rest?" Katara demanded, although her tone implied that the question was rhetorical.

Sokka groaned in response.

"I cooked a couple meals, that doesn't mean anything." He said adamantly.

"Sokka, I was in bed for two months! That was at least sixty meals that you cooked!" she said, her voice creeping up to dangerous volumes.

Sokka sighed in defeat and nodded.

"I'll talk to her about it, but I don't think that she'll go for it." He obliged.

* * *

"Sokka, what are you doing?" Toph asked warily, sitting down next to him on the edge of the stone wall surrounding the house.

"I am writing my will." He said sincerely.

Toph arched an eyebrow and snatched the paper from his hand.

"No way, let me see!" she exclaimed, pretending to read the parchment. "Oh, you're leaving all of your worldly possessions to me, how sweet." She joked.

Sokka took the paper back and sighed.

"It's not funny Toph." He said softly.

Toph turned to him, panic building in her chest.

"Sokka, what's wrong, are you sick?" she asked, worry coating her words.

Sokka's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"No, oh spirits no, I'm sorry Toph." He quickly apologized. "I just meant that…well…you're going to kill me." His head drooped with the confession, and Toph stared at him blankly.

"Why would I kill you?" she asked, obviously taking more from his words than he had meant her to.

"Well…because I want to teach you how to cook." He said, flinching and waiting to be pummeled.

After a moment, he opened one eye and stared at Toph, whose face was composed into a solid mask. After a moment, she slowly smiled.

"Thank you Sokka." She whispered, leaning in and hugging him.

* * *

"Okay, we're going to start with a traditional Water Tribe stew…southern style." Sokka began, smiling at Toph, uncertainty radiating from his expression.

If this didn't work…what would happen with Poppy? Would she still forbid Toph to marry?

"Southern style, gotcha." Toph said with a nod.

Sokka was silent for a moment as he contemplated how to go about actually teaching her.

"Alright, I guess we'll start with the fire. Do you know how to start a fire?" he asked.

Toph smirked slightly.

"Sokka, don't forget who you're talking to." She warned.

Sokka shrugged and moved Toph's body forward, and ran her hands over the small alcove in which they would start the fire. Over the alcove, Katara's stew pot hung proudly.

"Work your magic then." Sokka invited.

Toph knelt down and was still for a moment before turning to Sokka.

"Where's the flint Meathead?" she demanded.

Sokka laughed in embarrassment and guided her hand to the small shelf beside her.

"Over here. Sorry, I forgot to mention it." Sokka said quickly. "I guess I confused you and Zuko." Sokka amended, though it was clear that he hadn't.

Toph was quiet again as she struck the flint several times. After a moment, the kindling lit, and Toph blew hesitantly on it.

"Now what?" she asked.

Sokka smiled and helped Toph to her feet before handing her the large stew pot.

"Now we wait for the wood to get burning. In the meantime, we're going to cut up the ingredients and clean them." He informed her.

Toph nodded with a look of determination.

As the two went back to the kitchen, Toph turned to stare at Sokka.

"So what exactly goes in the stew?" she questioned.

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck as he pulled out the bag of ingredients he had purchased form the market earlier.

"Well, it depends really. Sometimes the winters are harsh and there isn't really much meat to be scrounged up. So, to make up for the lack of meat, we compensate by using a lot of vegetables that had been canned and stored for the winter." Sokka replied.

Toph arched an eyebrow as he began lining items up on the kitchen table.

"Wait just a second, there are vegetables in that frozen wasteland?" she demanded.

"Toph, it's not a wasteland, and there are some. Back before the raids on my village, a trader used to travel all the way from the Earth Kingdom with vegetables, and we would trade those for meat." Sokka clarified.

"Wow…I never would've guessed." Toph said as she considered his words.

"Okay, back to the stew. I laid a bunch of ingredients in front of you, and you can use as many or as few as you want in any combination. That's the beauty of this stew, it always comes out good, and you can even use leftovers to make it." Sokka assured Toph.

"Right…but how do I know what is what?" she asked.

Sokka put a hand to his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, you'll just have to learn the shape, texture and weight of various things. Or, if all else fails, you could lick them as long as you rinse them back off before cooking. Although I wouldn't advise that when it comes to meat." Sokka decided.

Toph reached out a hand hesitantly, and wrapped her hand around an onion.

"Do you mind telling me what it is the first time?" she asked hesitantly.

Sokka smiled and nodded.

"Of course I will. Right now, you're holding an onion. You can tell by its layers and its smell. Onions are typically pretty small, and they don't get much bigger than an orange." Sokka told her.

Toph nodded and sniffed the vegetable, her nose crinkling.

"Are you sure it's ripe?" she asked.

Sokka nodded.

"Yup, and believe me, onions are great in stews." He told her.

Toph shrugged and turned slightly, tossing the onion into the water-basin to be washed.

"Okay, next one." She muttered, moving her hand onto a tomato. Toph held in her hand, measured its weight with her hands, and squeezed gently all while Sokka tossed a few more onions into the basin.

"That's a tomato," he informed her.

Toph's nose wrinkled in disdain.

"Disgusting, they get mushy when you cook them for a long time…I don't want to use it." She decided. Sokka nodded.

"Personally, I hate tomatoes period. Aang will eat it though." Sokka assured her.

On and on they went until Toph had settled on onions, potatoes, parsnips, celery, carrots, and corn.

When they moved on to seasonings, Toph went with thyme, pepper, salt, and rosemary.

Sokka was showing Toph how to cut up the hippo-cow when Toph stopped moving.

"How can you tell the difference between meats?" she asked.

"Well," Sokka began, thinking thoroughly. "The texture really, like, poultry is typically smoother, and the red meat has a coarser texture." Sokka said finally.

Toph shrugged and went back to chopping the vegetables and meat.

"Could we…would it be okay if we added rice to the stew?" she asked hesitantly.

Sokka nodded enthusiastically.

"That sounds great!" he exclaimed.

After they dumped the contents of the cutting board into the stew pot, Sokka wrapped an arm around Toph.

"You've done great Toph." He praised.

Toph blushed and motioned for him to stop.

"This is just one dish, I need to know more." She replied.

* * *

The stew was a big hit with Katara and Aang—whose stew had been put in a separate pot on the stove before the meat was added—and over the next few days Toph learned enough dishes to, hopefully, appease her mother.

Sokka and Poppy sat at the dining table in the house the gang shared.

Toph bustled about the kitchen, seeming at ease completely, and smiled when she tested one of the dishes she was cooking.

"It's done." She announced.

Toph was quiet as she plated the food and set it before Sokka and Poppy.

It was a fish seasoned with pepper and lemon sauce with a side of oil-roasted and herb seasoned potatoes. She also served a side of asparagus that she knew Sokka would not eat.

As Poppy dug into the meal, she began to smile.

"You will make a fine wife my daughter." She said at last.

Toph smiled as she began clearing the cookware from the kitchen and into the basin.

"Does that mean we have your blessing?" Sokka asked.

Poppy nodded with a warm smile.

"You had it all along my son." Poppy answered.

Toph smiled and sat down with her own plate, Sokka's hand traveling to rest on her thigh.

As soon as Toph bit into her fish though, she yelped in pain.

"Shit, I burned myself!" Toph cried. Sokka laughed and kissed her forehead.

"To think that you never burned yourself in the process of cooking, but got burned in the process of eating…well, it's kind of ironic." Sokka informed her.

"Sokka, shut up." Toph commanded softly.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Again, this chapter is dedicated to Purple Fluff Bunny 7813 who provided the word. Thank you again. Thank you all for reading and please review. HUGE MON GUS thanks to all of you who have reviewed, I am up to sixty! I could never have thought I would get that many. Thanks guys, you are super duper awesome! Side-note, I am actually an amazing cook, but it was kind of hard to convey the finer details. Feedback always appreciated. I can't believe there is only one chapter left. The next one is a request as well, meaning that I dropped the original one that would have closed, but that's okay. Maschan, be on the look out for the next one because it's for you. ~~Kirsten~~


	21. Chapter 21: Glasses

**Glasses:**

**Special thanks to Maschan who gave me this word!**

"What do you mean I need glasses?" he demanded angrily.

Toph arched an eyebrow, a smile playing over her womanly features.

"What are you whining about? It could be a lot worse, you could be blind." Toph countered.

Sokka ignored Toph and glared at the doctor.

"How is that even possible? Are you sure that you're a doctor? I don't see any certifications." Sokka accused.

The doctor rubbed his temples and gestured to the wall behind him that held scrolls that detailed his certifications.

"Look, it isn't that big of a deal. Many young men wear glasses." The doctor assured him.

Sokka ran a hand through his short hair—fashioned like his father's—and sighed.

"Listen, I'm twenty, there's no way that I'm old enough for glasses." He protested.

The doctor glanced at Toph, who was beginning to twitch with anger, and tamped down the annoyance that was building.

"Children sometimes need glasses to correct vision issues." The doctor watched Toph bristle and began to backpedal. "But not all cases are correctable." He deflated visibly and tried again. "What I am trying to say is that age is irrelevant and you need to wear the glasses. I'll send an order to the local glass-maker and he'll have them ready in a matter of hours." The doctor finished.

Toph grunted and grabbed Sokka's wrist.

"I'll make sure that he gets them and wears them." She promised, dragging Sokka out of the office and into the setting sun.

Sokka mumbled incoherently as Toph tried to find the shop the doctor had mentioned.

After several minutes of walking aimlessly, Sokka snapped out of his reverie and turned to Toph.

"You're going the wrong way." He informed her. Toph stopped and glared at his shoulder.

"Well, it must be nice to be able to _see _where you're going." She stated before turning on her heel and leaving him in the middle of the street.

* * *

Toph was sitting on the couch when Sokka returned, glasses tucked away in their case in his pocket.

"You aren't wearing them." She stated coldly, her eyes never leaving the tablet that rested on her thighs.

Sokka turned to Toph, wondering how she had managed to notice.

"How'd you know?" he demanded.

Toph grinned, knowing she had the upper hand, and took her hands off of the tablet.

"Well, when you walked in, you tripped on that floorboard and almost ran into the coffee table." She answered.

Aang, previously unnoticed by Sokka, laughed.

"Wow, she's good." He said with a laugh.

Sokka stared at him blankly.

"When did you get there?" he asked.

Toph smirked as she turned her attention back to her tablet.

"And you didn't notice Twinkle-toes." She added.

Sokka rolled his eyes and sat down next to Toph.

"Look, I wanted to apologize for earlier. It just…came as a shock." He defended.

Toph merely shrugged and continued running her fingers over the tablet.

Sokka leaned over and stared at the stone for a moment.

"If you put your glasses on, you might notice that there are engravings on this." She said suddenly, her face remaining contorted in concentration.

Sokka turned towards Aang and shrugged his shoulders, as if to ask how Toph was able to know what he was thinking.

"It's actually pretty cool," Aang praised. "Toph is learning how to read."

"I won't be able to read in the traditional way, and Earthbending can't really reach the finer details of things…so Katara and Aang came up with this idea of using engraving to…" Toph trailed off and sighed. "Here, give me your hand." She said to Sokka.

Sokka looked down at his hand uneasily and then at Toph's; it seemed so natural and inviting.

After a moment, he surrendered his hand to hers and she pressed it onto the tablet.

"Okay…" he said, waiting for her to continue.

"Alright, this is the word for water," she began, guiding his hand to the engraved symbol. After a moment she smiled. "And this," she continued, moving his hand to another one. "Is the symbol for warrior." She said with a bright smile.

"Um, Toph, that's the symbol for meat." Aang corrected.

Up until then, Sokka had only been aware of the warmth of Toph's hand, the coolness of the tablet, and the sound of wonder in Toph's voice.

He blushed and pulled his hand away.

"Guess I'm still learning," she said with a smirk. It was evident to Aang that Toph knew exactly what she was doing, but Sokka seemed unfazed.

"So how long have you been working on learning this?" he asked.

Toph shrugged and glanced at Aang.

"A little over a year now." He supplied.

"How come I didn't know about this?" Sokka wondered, his voice betraying his hurt.

"Because I don't understand a lot of it sometimes, and I get frustrated and embarrassed. Can you blame me for keeping it private?" Toph demanded, her voice raw with anger.

* * *

Toph looked up as Sokka walked into the kitchen.

Sokka sat down beside her, a banana in hand, and groaned.

"Why is it so hard to wake up lately?" Sokka questioned. Toph ignored this and smiled.

"You're wearing them!" she exclaimed.

Sokka touched the frames on his face and nodded.

"Yeah, I guess your words…well, they got to me." He confided.

Toph shrugged and went back to eating her bread-roll.

After a moment, Sokka stood up and stretched.

"Where are you going?" Toph asked, itching for someone to train on.

"Actually, I'm going to go paint…did you want to sit with me?" he asked.

Toph opened her mouth, prepared to make a sarcastic remark, but closed it just as quickly.

"No thanks, I have a few errands to run." She replied.

"Do you need some help?" he offered.

Toph shook her head and sighed.

"No, go ahead. I'll catch up with you later." She promised.

* * *

Sokka stared at the parchment in front of him and dipped his brush into the ink pot.

"Fierce, raw, strong, and beautiful." He recited, as if it was a mantra.

He began to paint, his hands fueled by his passion to create.

His strokes were filled with purpose, his hands steady.

In his twenty years of life, Sokka had learned one thing if nothing else, and that was to have a steady hand that was filled with confidence and determination.

He was a warrior; it was his way of life.

If he had doubts, if he hesitated, it would all be over, and death would be certain.

Sokka worked on his painting, shading and perfecting for over an hour.

When he was done, he stared at his work.

It was as if he had captured his subject with…some sort of thing that made a replica of a person.

Sokka smiled and stood up, stretching his stiff back.

He jumped when Toph's voice reached his ears.

"You've been at it for a while, did those glasses help?" she asked.

Sokka turned around to face Toph, a blush creeping across his cheeks.

"You shouldn't sneak up on me like that." He warned, his eye twitching.

Toph laughed and punched his shoulder before blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

"So, what'd you paint?" she asked.

Sokka rubbed his shoulder and shrugged.

"Just a pretty sight." He told her.

Toph laughed again, and Sokka noticed for the time how much Toph had matured in recent years. He blushed and cleared his throat.

"Pretty is _not _a manly word." She informed him before turning on her heel.

* * *

Katara walked into their shared home and glared at Sokka.

"I heard you were a jerk to the eye doctor." Katara accused. She opened her mouth to continue lecturing, but stopped. "Where on earth did you get that painting?" she demanded, moving closer to Sokka's masterpiece.

"I thought you were yelling at me." He stated, ignoring her question; Katara was never one to like his paintings.

"Sokka, where did you get this done?" she asked again.

"I did it." He said sullenly, waiting for her criticism.

"You did this? Sokka, this is amazing. And is that…" Katara stopped as Aang ran into the house, a look of panic on his face.

"I didn't mean to!" he cried, his breath coming out in ragged huffs.

"Do what Aang?" Katara asked. Aang glanced at Sokka and shook his head. Katara seemed to take his hint and pulled Aang into the other room.

A moment later, the door swung open again, and Toph walked in, a lethal look plastered across her pretty features.

"I'll kill that bald son of a…" she trailed off, her words becoming incoherent.

"What happened?" Sokka demanded, although he wondered if he should get involved.

Toph turned slowly, as if she hadn't noticed him—which, in her state, was quite possible—and glared.

"_Aang_," she spat. "Told my parents, who seemed to have forgotten, that I had reached marrying age." She ground through her clenched teeth.

Sokka stared at her blankly.

"Why on earth would he do that?" Sokka asked, wondering if there was something that they needed to know.

"Shit if I know," Toph swore, pushing her bangs roughly behind her ears.

"Toph, are you sure that's what he said?" Sokka asked, trying to reason with the younger woman.

Toph nodded.

"Yup, saw him with my own two feet." Toph confirmed.

Sokka sighed and stood up.

"I'll go talk to him…just try…try not to kill him until I get to the bottom of this." He pleaded.

Toph snorted and sat down in a chair with a grin that did anything but reassure Sokka.

* * *

"Okay, so explain this to me one more time." Sokka beseeched.

Aang sighed and began again.

"I was worried about Toph. I mean, I have Katara, and you have Suki. I just wanted to make sure that my sifu was taken care of." Aang repeated.

"So you asked her parents to arrange a marriage." Sokka stated, attempting to clarify the nonsense that was coming out of Aang's mouth.

"Yeah, basically." Aang replied.

"I'm going to kill you!" Sokka screamed, lunging at Aang. "How could you do something so stupid and insensitive? I would never have left Toph alone. She _would _have been taken care of! I would have done it!" Sokka declared.

Katara's expression changed as she realized what her brother was saying.

"Oh spirits, Sokka, that painting, the painting of the woman, that's Toph isn't it?" Katara asked, realization dawning on her face.

Sokka tilted his head downwards and sighed.

"Yeah, it is. Fierce, raw, strong, and beautiful. I wanted to capture her." He said softly.

Aang's eyes filled with tears and his chin began to quiver.

"Sokka, I am so sorry, I had no idea. Have you told her yet? And what about Suki?" Aang asked.

Sokka shook his head and laughed bitterly.

"She found someone else." He stated.

"When?" Katara asked, surprised more by this admission than his first.

"A year or so ago." He told her. "It doesn't matter," he continued, shaking his head. "You have to get Toph out of it Aang. I'm sure they haven't started looking yet." Sokka reasoned.

Aang nodded slowly.

"I'll go back there right away." He promised.

Katara stood as well. "I'll go too, just in case they need some convincing." The two turned to leave from the back in order to avoid Toph, but Katara paused. "Sokka, are you going to tell Toph how you feel?" she asked softly.

Sokka shook his head.

"Not until I know that she's free to make her own decisions." He replied.

* * *

Sokka and Toph both looked up when Aang and Katara trudged back into the house.

Both looked sullen.

"So what happened? Are they calling off the search?" Toph asked eagerly. Sokka closed his eyes as he realized that all of Toph's dreams, that Toph's freedom, was about to come crashing down.

"Yes and no," Aang began, sitting down across from her. "You see, they are no longer searching, but it's because they already found someone. They want you to meet with him in a week or so." Aang informed her. "Please, hit me if it will make you feel better." Aang offered, closing his eyes and bracing for the impending pain.

But Toph was still, her eyes closed as well. Even after she had stood and fled the room, her eyes remained closed.

Sokka suspected that was the only thing keeping her tears in check.

* * *

Things were tense in the house. Toph hardly spoke, but the others made a real effort. In the back of their minds, they all knew that their days together were numbered.

Sokka was pained deeply that the number was decreasing more rapidly than he could stand. He could not bring himself to stain Toph's mind with his feelings when he knew that, even if she wanted to, she could never return them.

So Sokka was silent, remaining her friend and her source of strength.

Toph sighed and stood up, turning to face Sokka.

"I can't get the hang of this symbol Sokka." She said angrily.

Sokka stood up and moved closer to her, their legs touching, and smiled.

"I'll help you. Which one is it?" he asked, glancing at the tablet.

Toph pointed to a symbol and Sokka felt his throat tighten.

"That one." She replied.

Sokka stared at the word, his eyes filling with tears.

"That means respect." Sokka said softly. "It's like if you want to do something, but you don't because you know it would hurt someone or something. It's kind of like that. No matter how bad you want to do it, you don't, because their happiness means more than yours." Sokka finished, looking down at his hands.

Toph cleared her throat, her own eyes misty.

"I know what respect is, I just couldn't figure out the symbol." She informed him.

Toph stood up, and then turned around.

She gave him a small smile and went to her bedroom.

Sokka sighed and stood up, heading to the kitchen.

Maybe it was intuition, but as soon as he passed by the door, someone knocked on it.

Sokka opened the door to Toph's parents.

"Avatar Aang asked us to come by. He said something about a painting." Poppy said.

Sokka sighed and gestured towards the wall behind him.

"Go ahead and look, but I don't see what the point is." He replied.

He stepped back and allowed them to enter.

As they gathered in front of the painting, Poppy's eyes filled with tears.

"Is this my Toph?" she asked.

Sokka nodded and sighed.

"Yeah, I wanted to show people how fierce, raw, strong, and beautiful she is." Sokka recited.

Poppy closed her eyes as her husband stepped forward.

"I think I found the man I want my daughter to wed." he stated.

Sokka frowned.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Some noble from the Firenation." Sokka muttered.

"No…you take good care of my daughter Sokka, and you have my blessing." He replied.

Sokka stared at him blankly.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

* * *

Many years later, when their children would pester them about how they got married, Toph would always tell them that it was because of his glasses.

* * *

**A/N: Maschan, I hope this one made you proud. Thank you all for reading and seeing this through to the end. Thank you to every single person who has reviewed or even intends to. ~Kirsten**


End file.
